


Exodus

by TSCA



Series: Interlopers [3]
Category: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-29
Packaged: 2021-01-16 04:16:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 26,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21264923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TSCA/pseuds/TSCA
Summary: After his failed initial failed attempt at invading Etheria, Horde Prime has assembled a new fleet and called in special assistance to defeat She-Ra: Skeletor of Eternia! It will be no easy task; Adora and several of her allies who defected from the Horde have escaped Etheria for parts unknown, but the reach of the Horde is vast, and none are beyond the grasp of the Emperor of the Known Universe.This story is a sequel to Interlopers.





	1. Rise and Shine

What was it that made life worth living?

Mara had spent years wondering what the purpose of her existence was. Light Hope, along with her people, held that her mission was to carry on the legacy of She-Ra, their great protector. That answer had never sat quite right with her; it was a burden that others expected of her, but one that she had never chosen for herself. The only time she felt that she might be doing the right thing came not from obedience but from rebellion. Her betrayal of the First Ones and the legacy of She-Ra destroyed her people's hold on Etheria and cost her own life, or so she had believed when she cast Etheria into Despondos and sacrificed herself to close the wormhole.

Now she was staring up at many strange faces, whose expressions were a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"What? Where am I? Who are you people?" Her eyes locked onto the Sword of Protection and a face that she never expected to see again. "She-Ra? No… you can't be here!"

Adora put a hand on Mara's shoulder. "Calm down Mara! Everything's alright!"

"No it's not!" Mara brushed Adora's hand off with more strength than a woman who had spent the better part of the last thousand years in a coma should have possessed. "How am I here? Etheria should be sealed off! Don't you understand that anyone can come to Etheria now?"

"That happened," Glimmer said. "Horde Prime already tried to invade."

"What? Then why aren't we hiding?"

"Relax, lady!" Catra scoffed. "We sent Horde Prime packing faster than he came in."

Mara grabbed Catra by her collar. "You did WHAT?"

Catra hissed and swiped at Mara with her claws, which forced Mara to let go and fall back onto the bed. "You heard me. We kicked him out of Despondos."

Swift Wind frowned. "We? We didn't destroy Horde Prime's ships. I distinctly remember a vengeful thunder god ripping them into shreds."

"Yeah, well, he still ran when we teleported aboard. I say it counts."

"I don't care what you did," Mara said. "Do you understand what Horde Prime is? He could blot out the sky with warships if he wanted to. If he retreated, it's only so he can plan another attack! Do you have anything that can prevent orbital bombardment?"

The room became deathly quiet. 

"We have Etheria," Scorpia said. "Isn't the planet a weapon? Maybe if we could figure out how to use it–"

"Etheria is not that kind of weapon!" For a moment, it looked like Mara might strike Scorpia, but she settled for sighting and closing her eyes. "I don't know who you are or why you saved me, but you shouldn't have bothered. You might as well settle your affairs with whatever time you have left; the Horde will be here soon enough."

Adora regarded Mara with a mixture of pity and disappointment. "You're not who I expected, Mara, but I understand. Scorpia, Catra, and I grew up in the Horde. It's strong, but it can be beaten, and I won't stop until either it is destroyed or I am."

She handed Mara a blanket. "You can rest in this room, or walk the city of Mystacor. We can talk later if you want."

Mara wrapped the blanket around herself and stared out the window silently. Adora quietly motioned everyone to leave her alone to her thoughts. They congregated back in their guest chambers with their spirits noticeably lower than before they had set out.

Catra held Adora's hand gently. "Hey, don't look sad. You're getting really good at this healing thing."

"If only minds were as easily mended as bodies." Adora sat down on a sofa and buried her head in her hands. "Mara is right about one thing, though. We're in trouble when Horde Prime comes back."

Bow raised a hand. "You know, that sounds like something we should talk to Entrapta about."

* * *

The Kingdom of Dryl was bustling with more activity than it had in the past few decades. As part of Princess Entrapta's punishment for joining the Horde, she had been assigned numerous refugees to take care of, who she happily provided both housing and work to. In addition, the devices that she and Hordak were now providing to the Rebellion generated substantial interest from Bright Moon and the Kingdom of Snows, who provided them with cautious support.

Adora managed to requisition a captured Horde skiff from Castaspella, and they rode it over the mountains and plains to Dryl, while Swift Wind flew above them. The group was smaller than before: Glimmer had gone back to Bright Moon to help Angella manage the kingdom, and Sea Hawk had set sail to find Mermista. Mara, however, had no reason to stay in Mystacor and elected to come with them.

"So, this is what the Horde uses now?" She felt the vibrations coursing through the ship as Adora steered them along the path. "Curious. I seem to remember Horde craftsmanship being better."

"Hordak crashed on Etheria and tried his best to remake Horde technology with what he had available," Catra answered. "Most of it's pretty terrible. Our tanks don't even have turrets."

"I'd laugh if the situation was not so dire.."

Scorpia scooted closer to them. "So, Mara! You're out and about in Etheria for the first time in a millennium. How are you enjoying it? Do you like the air? Does it look like you remembered?"

"I, uh, it seems nice?" Mara took stock of her surroundings. "I remember more aircraft in the sky, and great roads connecting our cities. I suppose that's all gone by now."

"Mostly," Bow said. "But there's enough left that people like my dads can dedicate their lives to studying and understanding it!"

"I'm glad my people were good for something," Mara sighed. 

The others looked at each other awkwardly.

"You know," Scorpia said, "I'm getting the impression that the First Ones weren't all they were cracked up to be."

"They did great things." Mara gazed off into the distance. "Not necessarily good things, you understand. Just great."

Adora leaned into the conversation. "Like building an empire out of a wrecked spaceship?"

"I suppose so."

"Mara…" Adora bit her lip. "Do you know where I came from? Light Hope told me that I only came to Etheria because of an accident with one of Hordak's portals."

"Another colony, perhaps," Mara shrugged. "I couldn't even begin to guess which one. But I'm not sure I'd believe her since such a portal should have destroyed reality."

Catra growled. "That lying bi–"

"Woah there!" Scorpia quickly put a claw over Catra's mouth. "No need for foul language, Catra."

"She's right though," Swift Wind said. "Light Hope is incredibly manipulative. What makes you think she was telling the truth, Adora?"

"Because Hordak told me first."

Mara's jaw dropped. "But how come Etheria is still here after that? The wormhole must have come from the outside if that's the case! But none of us should have been able to find Etheria in Despondos…" She buried her head in her hands. "This is all so confusing…"

Bow's eyes lit up. "Wait, Mara, how do wormholes work?"

"Well, a wormhole is a link between two different points in space and time. That's as much as I could gather, anyways. It was a bit out of my field."

"I suppose none of us are, but it doesn't hurt to speculate a little," Bow smiled. "I was wondering, do you think someone else might have tried to form a wormhole and it connected with Hordak's portal by coincidence?"

"It would be a massive coincidence, but I suppose it's possible. But the further you are from the entrance to Despondos, the less likely that your wormhole is to connect to a region of space-time inside it..." Mara suddenly smacked herself in the forehead. "Of course! We had an outpost at Castle Grayskull on Eternia! It was in the same solar system as Etheria before the Severing!"

Adora nearly lost her grip on the steering. "So that's what 'For the Honor of Grayskull' means?"

"Yes, the Sword of Protection is a sister to the Sword of Power located at Castle Grayskull."

"Then the answers to my past… they're on Eternia?"

"I suppose they must be," Mara shrugged. "But who knows what condition Castle Grayskull or Eternia is even there anymore?"

* * *

"Skeletor!"

Horde Prime stood up from his throne to greet a muscular man with a skull for a face. Skeletor held a long sceptred staff with a ram's skull on top of it, which rang against the floor as he walked up to the throne.

"Horde Prime, it is truly an honor for you to grace me with your presence," Skeletor bowed. "I am overjoyed that you have requested my presence after the, uh, incident with the Star Seed."

"That was a long time ago," Horde Prime laughed. "How have you fared since then?"

"Mighty Horde Prime, that troublesome buffoon known as He-Man vexes me both night and day! If you would but lend me a fraction of your armada, I might–"

"Waste more of my resources?" The temperature in the room dropped several degrees in an instant. "You had your chance to prove yourself and you failed. He-Man is your concern, not the Horde's."

Skeletor threw himself to his knees. "Forgive me for my impudence! He-Man bedevils me so much that he had driven my good senses from me!"

"Hm. Perhaps." Horde Prime sat down again. "Then you will doubtlessly be overjoyed to know that I have found something to aid you against him."

"You are too kind, Horde Prime! What is it, some new weapon? Please let it be something that will rend Castle Grayskull asunder!"

If Horde Prime had eyeballs, he would have rolled them. "Nothing so vulgar, Skeletor. I have found He-Man's twin sister, She-Ra!"

Skeletor gasped as holograms of Adora and She-Ra filled the room around them. "This is getting out of hand! Now there are two of them!"

"Fortunately for us, She-Ra is still inexperienced. If you capture her, you will have done a great service to the Horde and gain valuable leverage against He-Man." Horde Prime paused thoughtfully. "I might even reconsider your requests for assistance."

"Horde Prime, you are too kind! Please, allow me time to gather my forces from Eternia and we will set out to find this She-Ra at once!"

"No, time is of the essence and you must set out now! You will take charge of Hordak's troops on Eternia and use them to ferret out She-Ra. I trust that your warriors can handle things on their own in your absence." Horde Prime looked down at Skeletor cooly. "They can function by themselves, yes?"

"Of-of course, Horde Prime! They are fine warriors and do their job thoroughly without–"

"Excellent, then take your ship and join the invasion fleet. You may help yourself to, oh, a dozen or so of Hordak's finest." Horde Prime waved his hand. "Return to me when you have She-Ra."

"I live to serve you, Horde Prime!" Skeletor cried, as he bowed his way out of the throne room.

A slim lilac-colored woman stepped out of the shadows in the throne room and shook her head. "Honestly, Horde Prime, what do you see in that ridiculous character? I can't get that grating voice out of my head!"

"Patience, Voxx," he said. "Better to have a third party handle our problems than waste our own resources. Our goal now is to bring Etheria into the fold."

"I understand, Horde Prime. Will I herald your arrival again?"

"Of course you shall," Horde Prime smiled. "For that is what you are, is it not? Hurry aboard the _ Amphion _and bring my will to Etheria."

* * *

Lonnie grunted as she clenched her abdomen and did another sit up off the edge of her bunk bed. She might have been a prisoner in Mystacor, but the Horde would come to free her one day, and she would assume her place as Force Captain. The others had all deserted out of weakness, but she would stay strong.

"That's an even hundred. Can I stop weighing you down now?" Tolliver asked.

She glared at her cellmate. "If I can work myself to death, the least you could do is sit still."

"Hey, I have a life too you know. I can't get back to reading if I'm holding you in place."

"Books ain't gonna help us defeat the Rebellion," Lonnie growled. "You need to stop treating this as a vacation and remember what your job is!"

"My job is to stand in front of doors, bother people as they go in, and watch paint dry. I don't think either of us wants me to go back to doing that."

"Ugh!" Lonnie pushed him away and landed on the ground of their cell with a graceful backflip. She took off her sweat-laden shirt and threw it into the laundry basket in the corner in frustration.

Tolliver quickly held a pillow in front of his face. "Hey! Warn me when you're going to do that!"

"Keep your nose in your books, then!" Lonnie threw herself onto the bottom bunk and kicked the mattress above her. "Why is it that I keep getting stuck with the dregs of this army?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit for Horde Voxx goes to Red Comet MK.III on the SPOP Discord. It's a pretty cool place, you should check it out at https://discordapp.com/invite/epVCNUX


	2. Once Upon A Time

_ People of Etheria, your hour has come. I am Horde Voxx, voice of the mighty Horde Empire. For some time now, your planet has been the home of one of our leaderʼs disgraced generals. We request merely two things from you: First, that the general, Hordak, be returned to us so that he may face punishment for his incompetence and failure to claim this world. Second, that Etheriaʼs rulers lay down their arms and swear allegiance to Horde Prime. _

_ If you choose to disregard this message and fight, know this: Better kings and queens than you have tried and failed. Your deaths will not be a matter of ‘ifʼ, but ‘whenʼ. You each have one hour to make your decision. And if you do not, I will make it for you on behalf of my master. _

_ Long live the Horde! _

* * *

Everyone aboard the skiff stared at the radio.

"It's like I told you," Mara said flatly. "The Horde will come and crush all of us."

"Not as long as I have a breath in my body," Adora growled. "Dryl is in sight. We're going to meet up with Hordak and Entrapta to figure this out!"

The craft sped along the mountain path straight into the castle courtyard. Refugees were huddled around in tight knots discussing the proclamation they had heard in frightened whispers.

Adora jumped off the skiff and landed next to a small group. "I'm sorry to bother you, but where's Entrapta?"

A refugee pointed to a yellow stripe on the wall. "In her lab. Just follow the tape." 

They found Entrapta in her lab analyzing data in front of her computers with Hordak at her side. Both of them looked up sharply at the group.

"Adora! This day is just full of wonderful surprises!" Entrapta spun around on her rolling chair in excitement. "The Horde just broadcast a signal to the whole planet! They even bounced it off of the ionosphere to reach the other side! Isn't that AMAZING!?"

Catra abruptly caught Entrapta and turned her around so they could speak face to face. "Reality check, genius! They want to kill Hordak and enslave you."

"Oh, that." Entrapta's face fell slightly. "Yeah, that's bad."

Hordak pried Entrata's seat out of Catra's claws. "We need to hide immediately. And it would be wise to send the refugees away; the Horde will not be kind to Dryl if Entrapta flees instead of surrendering."

Mara glared at him. "Well, you are the expert."

"Mara, please." Swift Wind nudged her. "Can we try to be friends? Or at least not be at each other's throats when a fleet of spaceships points their guns at us?"

"Fine." Mara bit her tongue in acquiescence. "So, how do we escape? Into mountain caves? To some desert island?"

"Sounds like our best bet," Adora sighed. "Maybe it won't work forever, but it'll buy us time to come up with a better plan."

Bow pointed at Entrapta's computer screen. "Hey, they said that they'd give us an hour to respond, right?"

"Yeah, about ten minutes ago," Catra said. "You thinking about sending them a message?"

"No, I'm just trying to figure out how they'd expect us to respond."

Hordak scratched his chin. "Via radio, I imagine."

"But they're in another dimension, so wouldn't they have to open up a portal?"

Entrapta shot up off her chair. "And if they open a portal, maybe we can use it too! We could teleport through it and into the rest of the universe!"

Adora blinked. "Is that possible?"

"I don't know, but I've got forty-five minutes to find out!" Entrapta pushed Bow aside and went to work at her computer. "Hordak, help the others build a portal while I crunch these numbers!"

Hordak ran his fingers through his hair as he stared at the pile of scrap electronics on the floor of the laboratory. "I have less than an hour to build a working portal. I'm sure that after the two decades of effort it took to build my first one, the second should come much easier."

"That's the spirit, ex-boss!" Scorpia slapped him on the back. "So we'll need a ring-thingy, right?"

For a moment, Catra looked as if she was going to make a comment until Adora shut her down with a death glare. Catra swallowed her words and picked up a wrench. "Come on, we don't have all day. Do we need a ring or not?"

"No, we can lay out energy nodes on the floor, Hordak said. "I will determine the optimal placement. Bow, please prepare a generator that can deliver 1.21 gigawatts of electricity. And I'll need the rest of you to find shielded electric cables."

Adora cracked her neck. "Alright, you heard him. Let's do it!"

* * *

The Princess Alliance was quiet in the war room as Horde Voxx's message played out in front of them again. Queen Angella listened to the recording with a heavy heart and looked at the faces around the table. All of them put on a brave face, but she could tell that they were all as worried as she was.

"If Hordak was but a fraction of the Horde's true power, then I am afraid we have no choice but to surrender," she said. "It is our good fortune that Hordak and Adora are both out of bounds at the moment; our inability to turn them over cannot be held against us."

Glimmer's fist slammed into the table. "So that's it? We're giving up? After all we've done, after all the fighting… after all our losses?"

"Yeah, I'm with Glimmer!" Frosta shouted. "If Horde Prime comes, I say we ice him!"

Perfuma frowned. "I… I think Angella has a point. We may fight, but our people will suffer for it. I think we should just go along with the Horde's demands… at least for now. We'll tell the Horde that Hordak escaped along with She-Ra and the others so they focus their attention elsewhere and give us some breathing room."

"Discretion is, like, the better part of valor, isn't it?" Mermista added. "We could, I don't know, all surrender at once in a ceremony. It'd be a great way to maybe meet the other princesses too instead of going after them one at a time."

"Mermista, that's brilliant!" Glimmer hugged her despite Mermista's protests. "We can use this as a way to build up our forces behind his back! Alright, let's draft our speech and propose that all of Etheria's princesses conduct the surrender ceremony here in Bright Moon!"

* * *

Hordak carefully adjusted the emissions from the energy nodes in front of him, and watched in amazement a stable spherical field of green energy filled the air in front of him. "Amazing! The negative energy is stabilizing the density matrix. This could work! Entrapta, do you have a solution for teleporting through the Horde's portal when they open it?" 

"Indeed I do!" Entrapta plugged a data disk into Hordak's contraption. "All we need is a destination and we're set!"

Everyone froze.

"Destination?" Bow said. "You didn't tell us you needed a destination!"

Entrapta grinned sheepishly. "Oh wow, it must have slipped my mind. Um… Hordak, I don't suppose you know anywhere we could go?"

He shook his head. "All the navigational coordinates on my ship's old computer are in the Fright Zone."

"Ok, nobody panic," Adora shouted. "We've got five minutes until the Horde expects a response."

Catra rolled her eyes. "We're not panicking, we're just regretting wasting time that could have been spent running away."

"I said nobody panic!" Adora pulled out the Sword of Protection. "Entrapta, can you get any coordinates off of this? It might be able to send us to Castle Grayskull."

"Let's find out!" Entrapta attached two alligator clips to the sword and began scanning it. "Hm… I'm not getting any more data off of this than I did last time. There's a lot of information that's locked away behind firewalls, but it would take me a few millennia to break the quantum encryption with what I have here."

"Alright, alright, so we can't use the Sword of Protection for this. What do we need?"

"Well…" Entrapta tapped her fingers together. "Absent a set of coordinates, anything with a strong magical bond to something outside of this dimension might work. But I don't have anything like that."

Adora turned to the others. "Did anyone manage to grab anything off of Horde Prime's cruiser?"

The others shook their heads, except for Swift Wind. His ears perked up and turned to present his saddlebags to Adora.

"Hold on! I, your loyal steed, have the solution!" He shook the saddlebags until the contents scattered onto the floor with the dreamcatcher Tabula Rasa left him on top of the pile. "See if that works!"

Entrapta snatched it off of the ground and hooked it up to the portal. Everyone watched with bated breath as the computer returned a set of coordinates.

"It's a valid solution! This will take us to wherever Tabula Rasa is," she cried. "And with only one minute to spare!" 

Bow gave her a quick hug, and another one to Adora. "Take care, everyone."

"You sound like you're not coming with us," Adora said as she hugged him back.

"I… I want to make sure Glimmer is ok. And the rest of our friends too. Even Kyle and Rogelio. So I guess I'll hold down the fort until you come back."

"You do that, Bow." Adora let him go and watched him run out of the room. "Entrapta, pull the lever!"

"Everyone get ready; things are going to get weird!" Entrapta laughed as she activated the machine and a brilliant green vortex engulfed them all.

* * *

Skeletor watched the planet of Etheria loom in front of his transport as the Horde's invasion fleet hovered above his head. Horde Voxx would take care of the arrangements for surrender, leaving him free to organize the Horde's Etherian troops as he saw fit. There was no shortage of cannon fodder, but he would need expert insight into She-Ra in order to capture her. Someone who knew her in and out.

His craft screeched through the atmosphere and landed in the formerly hidden city of Mystacor. Their ruler had recently left for Bright Moon so that she could join the others to formally surrendering to the Horde, which meant that there was no one who would question his orders. He strolled into Mystacor's prison and let the Staff of Havoc guide him to his destination: the section of the jail reserved for Horde prisoners.

"Greetings," he declared upon seeing them. "Shadow Weaver, it seems that fortune has smiled upon you! I call upon you to aid me in my quest to capture She-Ra on behalf of Horde Prime!"

Shadow Weaver bowed humbly. "At long last, I knew this day would come. I am honored to serve the Horde, but we will need more than just my cleverness if we want to defeat Adora; I am but an old and weak woman."

She looked over at the cell across from them. "Lonnie, would you like a chance to get back at dear Adora?"

Lonnie cracked her knuckles. "It's about time." 

"Oh, I love it when a plan comes together," Skeletor cackled. "Let us away! To the armory!"

* * *

Life was strange. As a child, Tolliver had found himself facing starvation in a drought stricken farming community. As a teenager, he found himself with a stable job in Etheria's most belligerent army. And now, as an adult, he found himself staring at a locker room wall. 

"Force Captain Lonnie," he said. "I would like to congratulate you on your recent promotion and remind you, again, that you need to warn me before you start changing!"

"Oh get over it, I was wearing a bra." She spun him around and he was relieved to see that she had donned most of her armor. "How do you expect to defeat Adora if you can't stand seeing someone's midriff?"

"I wasn't planning on defeating anyone! I'm a guard! I guard things!" 

"Yeah, well, too bad the Horde needs you." She shoved a set of armor into his arms. "Get prepped."

"For what? Do they need someone to watch paint dry on this mission?"

"I'll be sure to let you know if they do, but right now I need a bodyguard."

"You want me to bodyguard you against what? She-Ra, the eight foot tall Amazon warrior with a sword that can cut through tanks? Or Scopria and her claws that can crush metal? I'm pretty sure that even Catra would step all over me!"

"That's great, the more time they spend beating you up means the less time they spend bothering your Force Captain." She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him down to her level. "Or are you saying you'd rather see me die?"

"No ma'am," he squeaked. "I'll, uh, just keep our opponents in mind when I select my gear."

"Good." She released him abruptly. "We're leaving in ten minutes. Don't disappoint me."

* * *

Skeletor sat on the throne of Mystacor as he reviewed plans for their quest. Horde Voxx reported that a quantum tunneling event occurred right as the Horde opened their second portal. The energy signature was tracked to a remote M-class star in a neighboring galaxy. Exactly how they had managed to teleport so far away was a mystery, since the amount of power needed to teleport across galaxies was many orders of magnitude above what a backwater planet like Etheria should have been able to produce. Ultimately, it was a mystery for another time; his goal was to track down She-Ra. 

Skeletor looked away from the reports to see Shadow Weaver enter the room. "Ah, Shadow Weaver. Have you prepared yourself for our journey?"

"Amply," she said. "I have a full complement of reagents now. A pity we have to leave so soon. I was beginning to feel at home again."

"We can all go home once Horde Prime has what he wants."

"And I'm sure that we'll deliver," Shadow Weaver purred. "Especially with such a strong sorcerer like yourself leading us. What is your plan?"

"My plan is simple: we take the troops and brutally crush this She-Ra and whatever allies she might have to teach her a lesson about defying the Horde!"

Shadow Weaver could barely contain a grin behind her mask. "An excellent idea, Skeletor. Killing her friends in front of her will be sure to break her spirit and keep her in line. However, might I suggest keeping some alive to ensure her continued obedience? We should use the one known as Catra; she has a ridiculous fondness for that girl."

"Ah yes," Skeletor nodded. "Very clever. Emotional leverage is something that I have had on my mind as well, for as Catra is She-Ra's weakness, so shall she be the downfall of my arch-nemesis!" Skeletor slammed his staff into the ground. "For years that muscle bound oaf has foiled my plans again and again, but now I shall bring about the downfall of that dolt He-Man! 

"Wait, there's a He-Man?"

"Ridiculous, isn't it? Horde Prime told me that they're twins somehow."

"It must have been that portal," Shadow Weaver muttered to herself. "Well, no matter. What I want to know is if you will have any need for her afterwards?"

"Not particularly. Why do you ask?"

"I do feel a certain… attachment to her. I raised her as my own child, and if it would be alright with you, I would like to keep her after this is over."

Skeletor ran his fingers along the ram's head of his staff. "Very well! I shall allow you this boon, but see to it that she never troubles us again; Horde Prime will have our heads if we bungle this!"

Shadow Weaver bowed. "On that you have my word. I will make sure that the merest thought of rebellion never crosses her mind again."


	3. In A Magical Land Called Equestria

Adora opened her eyes to see that they had arrived in a large cottage. She was seated on a comfortable couch next to Mara and Catra, while Scorpia, Swift Wind, Entrapta, and Hordak were scattered on the floor around a solid oak coffee table. A warm breeze blew in from outside, carrying with it the scent of a lazy summer afternoon.

"Where are we?" Mara whispered. 

There was a clink of china as middle aged human male dressed in red and black pajamas entered the room carrying a silver serving tray. "Tea? Earl Grey, hot."

Swift Wind stood up and shook his head. "Where's Tabula Rasa?"

The man set the tray down on the coffee table in front of them and began pouring out cups of tea. "Tabula Rasa and company are currently fighting their way through an inordinate number of frost giants at the moment. I assumed that you wouldn't want to drop directly into such a situation and be an undue burden in her quest to bring back what's left of Morning Star, so I took the liberty of diverting you here." 

"Fascinating!" Entrapta pulled out a notepad and began scribbling furiously. "What else should we know about?"

He paused for a moment. "I suggest you drink your tea quickly; I hear clamor and unkindness in the air."

The door flew open the moment he finished speaking and a shower of razor sharp feathers filled the air. Catra dived to the floor and pulled Adora down with her while Scorpia flipped over the coffee table to shield the others from the hail of feathers that embedded themselves in the walls and table.

"Is everyone ok?" Adora drew the Sword of Protection. "For the honor of–"

"For the love of Etheria, just stay down!" Catra put a hand on Adora's head and forced her to the ground again.

Two pegasi flew threw the doorway and adopted aggressive stances as they surveyed the room. One was solid black, while the other was identical save for a splash of white on her muzzle.

"Discord, you cosmic jerk!" The solid black one growled. "What did you do this time? We could sense your magic all the way up in Canterlot!"

"And hello to you too, Raven." Discord snapped his fingers and the feathers, along with the damage they inflicted, disappeared in an instant. "Do you try to kill all your guests?"

"Only the unannounced ones," Raven snapped. "What are we supposed to do with six bipeds and an alicorn? The circus left town last week!"

Discord frowned. "Well, I was hoping that you would show them some hospitality, but it seems as if I was mistaken. Oh well, I suppose I could always take them to your godmare's place. I'm sure she'd be thrilled to hear how you greeted us."

Raven stomped her hoof onto the ground. "You will do no such thing!"

"Then it's agreed! You and Rook will host these poor visitors from out of town! Oh, I knew I could count on you!" He gave them each a hug despite their bristling feathers and disappeared with a snap of his fingers.

"I'm sorry to intrude," Hordak said as calmly as possible under the circumstances. "But can someone explain what is going on here?"

Raven opened her mouth, but was quickly pushed aside by Rook. "Well, that was Discord, the family curse. Except he only seems to bother us for some reason; we think it's because he's used to this cottage or something, but our sister doesn't believe a chaotic being like him forms habits like that." 

"And you two are…?"

Raven rolled her eyes. "Proud students enrolled at the magical School of Friendship. Forming bonds between different species and cultures through understanding and teamwork for a more peaceful and diplomatic future. Yay."

"Oh don't say it like that, it's nice meeting new people!" She looked Swift Wind over with interest. "Hello there! What's your name?"

"I'm uh, Swift Wind." He backed up until he was next to Adora. "This is my human, Adora, and her – uh – friend Catra. And Catra's friend Scorpia. And our friends Entrapta and Hordak, and Mara who was Adora's predecessor as – wow, this is a complicated series of relationships we have here."

"You can tell us about it over dinner," she chuckled. "Come on, let's put the room back together so we can eat."

* * *

Adora had no idea what to expect when she told Entrapta to teleport them off of Etheria, but seeing twin pegasi bustle around a kitchen and slicing vegetables and fish with their wing feathers was not high on the list. In fact, it seemed rather surreal; it was so domestic and peaceful compared to her last few months of conflict with the Horde.

She fidgeted on the couch, unsure of what to do with herself. Discord had replaced the refreshments when he fixed the table, but she found the tea too dark and bitter for her tastes. The others seemed exhausted and sat around drinking the tea.

Catra sighed and leaned into Adora's shoulder. "Great. More kill-happy pegasi."

"Come on, that's a bit harsh." Scorpia frowned at Catra. "First impressions were a bit rough, but things have been perfectly nice since then."

"And they haven't shown signs of being anything other than regular pegasi," Swift Wind said. "Relax a little! We made it to a safe haven!"

"For how long?" Mara squeezed a cushion until it looked like it might burst. "The Horde will come for you sooner or later, and there's nothing a herd of ponies can do about it."

"Hey, we heard that!" Raven pushed a cart full of food over to them and let it ram into Mara's side of the couch. "What's your problem, lady?"

"I don't have a problem; I'm just pointing out that we're all dead when Horde Prime conquers your planet like he has everything else."

"I'd like to see him try," Raven snorted. "We'll drop a moon on him."

"Yes, well… good luck with that." Mara picked up a freshly baked dinner roll and nibbled on it.

Raven looked like she was about to take Mara's head off, but Rook quickly nudged her out of the way. "Alright, so we made fish chowder! You predators love fish, right?"

"Oh no, we're not… Adora trailed off. "Wait, I guess we are…"

"Fish is good." Catra took the lid off of a large pot of chowder and poured out a bowl for Adora in the hope that she would be less likely to put her foot in her mouth if it was full of food. "Hold on, where are the spoons?"

"What would we do with spoons?" Raven rolled her eyes. "Just drink the chowder and stop being a pain in my–"

"Language!" Rook and Scorpia said simultaneously. They looked at each other and giggled. "Jinx!"

"Whatever." Raven went back to the kitchen, grabbed a raw fish, and began pecking at it furiously.

Swift Wind's jaw dropped. "Ok, that was… strange. Do you eat meat?"

"Well… maybe a little." Rook grinned sheepishly. "I'm guessing you're a pure herbivore?"

"I eat apples."

"Oh! Half a moment, then!" She darted through a pantry door and dragged out a basket full of apples. "I just bought these from Sweet Apple Acres!"

"Those look delicious!" Swift Wind promptly gobbled one up. "They are delicious!"

"Glad to hear it!" Rook looked over at Catra. "May we have some soup?"

Catra placed two bowls onto the floor next to Rook. "Knock yourself out."

Rook flapped her wings to cool the soup down before she lapped it up. Entrapta pulled out her notepad again and scooted forward so she could get a better view.

"So, Rook… how come you and your sister eat fish?"

"Hm? Oh, our parents run a nature preserve in the White Tail Woods. We've been sneaking away fish meant for the animals since we were fillies."

"Fascinating! And this is not normal behavior, correct?"

"Yeah, it's more of a gryphon thing. Everyone's pretty understanding about how they're obligate carnivores, but it's more of a gray area for ponies; we get really odd looks when we order fish at restaurants."

"Intriguing! I gather that, due to the aforementioned 'School of Friendship', your society places a high value on multiculturalism? Tell me, how did–"

"I, uh, don't mean to be rude – really, it's great that you're interested – but you'd be better off spending a day at the local library with the head Librarian." 

"Ooh, a library! Yes please!" Entrapta grabbed onto Hordak's arm. "Let's go!"

Hordak pulled her onto his lap. "Perhaps tomorrow, Entrapta."

"Yeah," Scorpia nodded. "I think we've all had a real challenge of a day."

"Electrolyte and protein loss due to teleportation," Mara mumbled into her soup. "I feel like I've travelled a few million light-years."

"Well then we should get out some bedding!" Rook chirped. "I'm sure that we can find you some suitable accommodations! This place has been the local animal shelter and wildlife sanctuary on and off ever since it was built."

"They're not bears," Raven said. "We can't just give them a pile of straw to sleep on. Well, maybe the alicorn."

"Good point, we should bring out the winter bedding!" Rook opened the door to a closet full of futon sets. "Alright, we have almost enough mattresses and duvets for everyone! Some of you might have to share, though. We hope that's ok?"

Scorpia pulled out a futon and spread it on the floor. "Ooh, this is going to be fun! Who wants to pair up with me?"

"Scorpia, you're big enough for two people." Adora punched her in the arm. "I'd be happy to camp out beside you, though. Catra?"

"I, uh, guess?" Catra curled up cautiously on Adora's other side.

Mara took a long look at the strangers surrounding her. "I'll take the couch."

"I call dibs on Hordak!" Entrapta said to Hordak.

"I would prefer to… I mean, I don't really..." Hordak stopped himself and took a deep breath. "Well, I suppose if there's a shortage of options, I suppose I will have to make do."

"And do I get a bale of straw or something?" Swift Wind asked politely.

Raven darted out of a window and flew back a moment later dragging a small cloud in with her teeth. "There you go, happy?"

His jaw dropped. "How did you… how am I supposed to…?"

"What, you've never seen a cloud before?" Raven hopped onto it as if it were a mattress. "You get on the cloud. You lie down on the cloud. What's the problem?"

Swift Wind poked the cloud gingerly and felt its cotton-like texture. "Huh? But it's supposed to be water vapor!"

"Actually," Entrapta said, "Clouds only form when water vapor condenses into droplets, or ice crystals."

"Right, well… I still shouldn't be able to touch them. I fly right through them in Etheria!"

"Well, you're not in Etheria anymore," Rook giggled. "Welcome to the magical land of Equestria!"


	4. The Trouble With Changelings

The atmosphere in Bright Moon was sombre as the Horde transport landed in the castle courtyard. A small complement of heavily Hordesmen clad in power armor disembarked and secured the area, lead by a mantis-like warrior who stood tall and proud as he surveyed the courtyard before signalling that it was safe.

"Really, Force Captain Xaan, you don't need to trouble yourself so much," Horde Voxx chuckled as she stepped out of the ship.

"My orders were to see to your safe arrival and return, Lady Voxx." Xaan said stiffly.

"Touching." She gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. "In that case, stay with the ship and see if you can't tune the engines; they're vibrating a bit too much for my comfort."

Xaan saluted stiffly. "As you say, but isn't it a breach of protocol to let you attend the meeting unaccompanied?."

"I have never had bodyguards, Xaan. It is a show of confidence to show up without an escort; it means the Horde does not need physical troops to ensure the safety of its diplomats."

"And if they should become unruly?"

Voxx raised her right hand and let electricity dance between her fingers. "Then they can see what these bionics are capable of."

She walked up to the castle, where she was greeted by a palace guard who led her into the meeting chamber. It was a round room with many murals on the wall and princesses of many kingdoms gathered around a circular table.

Voxx cast her eyes on one in particular. "Ah, Princess Glimmer. It is Glimmer, isn't it? Your name stuck out to me, I must admit."

Glimmer crossed her arms. "Because of my combat record?"

"Because your name is the only one that doesn't end in an 'a'." Voxx noted with amusement the irritation on Glimmer's face. "Well, shall we begin?"  


"I suppose we might as well. Guard, you may return to your post."

Instead of leaving, the guard whipped off her helmet and threw her cloak at Voxx.

"Prepare for trouble, and make it double!" she said, as her human features melted away to reveal a green salamander-like humanoid.

"What the–" Voxx smacked the cloak aside so that she could maintain sight of the assailant. The moment she did so, it released a cloud of white powder that caused her vision to swim. Voxx dropped to her knees and rolled over on the floor as the intruder stood over her triumphantly.

Glimmer teleported over to them and shoved the woman out of the way. "DOUBLE TROUBLE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"I'm saving all of you from the iron fist of the Horde, duh!" Double Trouble said. "I heard that you wanted to surrender and I couldn't let my favorite cousin become some sort of Horde subject, so I put together an awesome plan to knock out this Horde ambassador and take her place!"

"THAT WASN'T THE PLAN! We were supposed to come together and form a secret network under the Horde's noses! We were going to try and be SUBTLE to buy time for the others to find a place to hide! "

"Oh." Double Trouble shook her head. "You really should have put that in the invitation, you know?"

"Then it wouldn't be a SECRET, would it?" Glimmer froze. "Hold on, how did you even get an invitation? I specifically left you out because I knew you'd do something stupid!"

"Well, you know how it is. You see a letter with the seal of Bright Moon lying around on a desk somewhere, and one thing leads to another… well, long story short, I'm here now and we've already assaulted their ambassador, so we might as well go all in!"

"Kill me now," Mermista groaned.

"Hm, looks like a good portion of her is cybernetic, but I can work with this." Double Trouble's body changed in size, color, and texture until it became an exact copy of Horde Voxx. "There we go! Now all I need are her clothes."

"This is getting ridiculous." Glimmer sputtered. "You are not stripping her naked in front of all of us!"

"Then let's teleport her to the dungeon so we can do this in private." Double Trouble picked up Voxx and shoved her into Glimmer's arms. "Or is it still the spare room?"

* * *

Force Captain Xaan sprang to attention when he saw Voxx emerge from the castle much sooner than anticipated.

"Lady Voxx," he said. "I apologize, but we were unable to locate any issues with the engines before your return."

Double Trouble did her best to maintain the cold and aloof attitude Voxx had displayed. "No matter, the surrender has been formalized. I wish to retire to my quarters."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Good." She smiled; this was easier than she expected. "And bring my reference materials for Etheria, I wish to study them again once I have had my rest."

* * *

_ “And you’re certain they said they wished to surrender?” Voxx had asked her guide, a white-furred young alien who couldn’t be older than a teenager. The caves they were traveling in were brightly lit, but that didn’t mean an ambush up ahead was out of the question. _

_ 'I am completely sick and tired of this planet. Nothing but lakes, ice, and snow for miles with the occasional settlement. How have they survived for this long?' She asked herself. _

_ “Y- yes, yes,” he had answered her. Rhuvall, he said his name was. “Just a b- bit further, your Hordeness! The queen has been patiently awaiting your arrival.” _

_ He had been an oddly timid thing for someone a few inches taller than her, but she could easily chalk that up to the fact that his planet had been embroiled in a months long war against the Horde soldiers attempting to occupy the planet. _

_ Thy entered a large room with a throne at the end of it. Two Dririans she didn’t recognize _

_ shut the door behind them, stoic and imposing. _

_ 'How ominous.' she thought dryly, as she turned her attention to the matter at hand. _

_ “Rhuvall, you claimed that the Queen was awaiting my arrival.” _

_ “Yes, I did.” There was no longer a light stutter in his voice. _

_ “Then why is the throne empty?” _

_ There was no verbal response, but she heard him attempt a swipe at her head from behind. She ducked his blow before spinning around and delivering a kick to his stomach. Rhuvall staggered back a bit, winded but otherwise unharmed. _

_ "Shobakk!” he gasped, pulling out a sword as the two Dririans previously guarding the door now stood at his side. “She’s here! We’ve captured the demon!” _

_ “Have you, now?” _

_ The sound of heavy footfalls came from a decent distance behind her. She turned around to see a Dririan much bigger than the other three step out from behind the throne, his mandibles clicking angrily. His face was scarred and one of his eyes injured from a vicious slash. _

_ “Voice of the Horde!” Shobakk roared with the fury of a thousand suns. “Today, you will be silenced for your master’s crimes!” _

_ With that, he pulled out an impressive looking battle axe and charged forward with a resoundingwar cry. _

_ 'Well, this is a lovely situation,' Voxx thought as she drew a collapsed taser staff on her hip and extended it for battle. _

Voxx woke up with a start and realized that she was no longer on Driria. She was lying on a soft bed in the middle of a containment field. She reached for the distress beacon hidden in her armor, only to find herself grasping at a comfortable silken robe.

'Oh, for the love of Horde Prime, don’t tell me they actually undressed me? Yes, they certainly did.' Voxx supposed that she should have felt violated, but she had been in worse situations before. Still, the high quality robe she was in was no less threatening than the cruelest impliments of torture she had been subject to in her service to Horde Prime. It was clearly meant to make her feel powerless, yet lull her into a false sense of security with its high thread count.

Princess Glimmer sat off to the side flipping through a book, and looked up as she heard Voxx stirring.

"Oh good, you're awake." she said, without much enthusiasm. "How are you feeling?"

"Drop the pretense," Voxx snapped. "I know what you're up to."

Glimmer raised an eyebrow. "Do tell."

"You have clearly taken me prisoner in an attempt to extract information from me while sending a shapeshifter in my clothing to infiltrate the Horde! I can only laugh at your pitiable attempt to stall our conquest. Resistance is futile; you will be subjugated!"

"Wow. You got us. I mean, you really nailed it in one go." Sarcastic applause echoed in the chamber. "I suppose next you'll say that you'll never betray Horde Prime."

"Obviously not. I came here prepared to die for my Emperor!"

"Well, have fun with that." Glimmer turned her attention back to her book.

Voxx frowned. "How dare you ignore me!"

Glimmer rolled her eyes and slammed her book shut in annoyance. "I thought we agreed that questioning you would be a waste of time?"

"So why are you here?"

"To keep an eye on you, I suppose. And also get a chance to catch up on my reading."

"Romance novels?"

"Dialectics."

"You are neglecting me in favor of a book on linguistics?"

"No, you're thinking about dialects. Dialectics is an approach to discovering truth through use of reasoned arguments between two sides. I'm currently on a section discussing synthetic dialectics, which studies the inherent conflicts in ideas by examining a thesis, its anti-thesis, and a synthesis which resolves the conflict between the two–"

"Stop. I can think of nothing more tortuous than philosophy."

'This is the most baffling imprisonment I have ever been subject to.' She scrutinized Glimmer. 'Clearly, this is a trick to get me to spill secrets inadvertently by denying me attention. Perhaps this rebellion is more clever than I thought.'

"Would you like to play a game?" Glimmer rummaged through a nearby chest and pulled out a small wooden box. She opened it to reveal a small collection of wooden pieces, and then turned the box upside down so that she could place the pieces on the checkered top and bottom.

For the first time since she awoke, Voxx looked interested. "And what is this?"

"It's called 'chess'. It's a strategy board game where you use different pieces to conquer an opponent.

'Ah, so it begins,' Voxx thought. 'She thinks that I have become sufficiently bored to engage in this transparent test of my tactical abilities! Well, two can play at that game!'

* * *

Skeletor sat on a throne in his ship with the dozen Horde troopers he had acquired strapped into the seats below him. He had yet to formally address them, but the time was ripe for a great speech now that he had collected a capable advisor and a commander for the soldiers.

"Attention, Horde minions! We have all been given a glorious opportunity on this great day; I have been tasked by Horde Prime with capturing She-Ra, and you have had the good fortune to serve under me!"

Lonnie stared at the troops intensely. "Yes, Skeletor!"

"Yes, Skeletor!" They repeated.

"Then let us depart!" He cackled. "To the Galactic Relay!"

The ship rocketed through Etheria's atmosphere and into a waiting portal in the skies far above. In an instant, the blank space around Etheria was replaced with a dark void filled with more pinpricks of light than could be counted and a bright band of stars that dominated their view. And below it all was a massive shipyard where hundreds of portals opened and closed every minute as traffic from all corners of the galaxy filtered through.

Lonnie pressed a hand to the window and stared at the sight in front of her. "It's… beautiful."

"Then you'll be pleased to know we're spending some time here while the Milky Way Command prepares an intergalactic portal," Skeletor said. "You will have twenty-five hours of shore leave onboard the station: report back to the ship when the portal is ready or you'll be left behind and tried for desertion!"

"You heard him! Move out!" Lonnie grabbed Tolliver and dragged him with her. "Come on, we've got a day to prepare, and I intend to make the most of it."

"Lonnie–"

"Force Captain," she snapped.

"Alright, fine! Force Commander, what's going on? You've been getting really intense lately. Is the pressure getting to you?"

"Pressure? This is nothing. I've been bucking for Force Captain my entire life. No, this is about everyone who I thought I could count on betraying me!" Her eyes narrowed as she looked him up and down. "Don't give me a reason to think you'll do it too. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Force Captain," he sighed. "Crystal clear."


	5. Out On The Town

The gentle melody of birds greeting the dawn roused Adora from her sleep. Sleeping on the hard floor had been good for her back; it reminded her of the Horde beds she had grown up with, although her pillow was much warmer than she was used to. And harder. And pointier.

Adora opened her eyes to see that she was resting against Scorpia's chest, held firmly in place by a pair of claws. She blushed as she wriggled her out of the embrace; the last thing she needed this morning was awkward questions.

The living room was much as she had remembered it last night. The others were still strewn about deep in slumber, although Catra was no longer by Adora's side. Her absence was slightly concerning; Catra was never an early riser, and they were in a new place with untold opportunities for disaster. 

The shadows around the wood were deep as the sun had barely cleared the horizon. Out in the yard, she could see Raven flitting from tree to tree feeding the birds with a bag of seeds held in her mouth.

"Good morning, Adora!" Rook glided out of the pantry with a pot full of oats sandwiched between her hooves. "We hope you got enough sleep last night!"

"Best sleep I've had in awhile," Adora said. "I do want to know where Catra went, though."

"Oh, she left maybe half an hour ago. She wanted to spend some time on her own, so we pointed her towards the town." 

Adora sighed. "Well, that explains that, I suppose. Can I help with anything?"

Rook set the pot on the stove. "Sure! Ever made oatmeal before?"

"I've had it once or twice." Adora grabbed a pitcher that was lying around the kitchen and poured in a generous amount of water before firing up the stove. "So, you just boil it?"

"With stirring!" Rook picked up a ladle with one hoof and began stirring the pot.

"Fascinating!" Entrapta popped up between them with her notepad. "How are you holding onto that? Contact telekinesis?"

Rook rested her hoof on top of Entrapta's hand. Entrapta turned it over and saw a soft pad in the middle of the hard, U-shaped hoof. She pressed her thumb into it gingerly; it felt like a soft beanbag, right up to the point where it hardened and gripped her finger.

"Ooh! Granular jamming! What an amazing feat of evolution! Or maybe genetic engineering?"

Adora groaned. "Entrapta, you can't spring up on people like that! Especially not since we're guests here."

"Right, right, good impressions and all that. But isn't this so exciting?"

I… it is, but I've got a lot on my mind right now."

Entrapta gave her a soft pat on the shoulder. "I understand. Do you want to come see the library with me and Hordak?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I need to talk with Mara."

"The quiet one?" Rook handed her a bowl of oatmeal. "Why don't you go off for a hike in the Everfree Forest? There's a lot of great spots to relax and talk out there. Just follow the path from our backyard and stay out of the deep woods."

"Maybe that will be just what she needs," Adora sighed.

* * *

The town several miles down the road was reminiscent of Thaymor; it was underdeveloped, sparsely populated, and had nothing of note, except for a garish crystal tree castle on the far end of town that clashed with the rural aesthetic. Catra, however, had little interest in it; she had seen far too many castles already.

She sat down on a bench in the town square so that she could rest her weary feet and looked around her. The majority of the shops and restaurants were still closed, though there was a clothing store that had already opened. Catra picked at her uniform; a wardrobe change would help her put more distance between herself and her past. (How Adora could stand wearing her old jacket was baffling.)

The interior of the shop was filled with a dizzying variety of clothing folded on tables, hanging on racks, and modeled on dress forms, all made for four-legged creatures. After a moment of waiting, Catra walked up to the counter and rank a small bell next to the cash register.

"Welcome to the Carousel Boutique darling, I'll be with you in a minute!"

The voice was high pitched and cultured; Catra was still getting used to talking horses, but it sounded more male than female. A green-scaled ungulate with a bushy brown mane and branched horn came trotting out of the backroom a moment later, dressed in an immaculate suit. A name tag indicated that his name was Stiletto.

"I must say, I usually don't get customers quite this early in the morning – I'm no morning kirin, you know – but it's always good to see a new face in town. What can I do for you, dear?" 

"I'm looking for a tailor." Catra gestured at her outfit. "All of this needs to go."

"Well, bipeds are a bit uncommon around these parts, but never fear! I am well up to the task." Stiletto cleared a space for her with a flick of his horn. "Just stand here and let me take some measurements, Miss…"

"Catra."

"Right, Miss Catra." He whipped out a tape measure and began examining her. "Do you have anything specific in mind for the design? Any special materials you might like?"

"I don't suppose you have something that would be handy in a battle?"

"Ah yes, our combat line." He levitated a roll of thick black fabric over for Catra to feel. "Try this: a dilatant gel sandwiched between layers of spidersilk and polyaramid fabric. Provides excellent protection against kinetic hazards. Hardens into a plate when struck with sufficient force."

Catra rubbed the hexagonal pattern on the cloth between her fingers. It was heavy, like rubber, but felt as smooth as a linen. "Sounds good. What kind of outfit would you recommend for someone who likes to stay on their feet in a fight?"

"I'd recommend covering everything, but if I had to prioritize then I would start with the torso," he said. "Too many vital organs there, after all."

Catra winced. The memory of the infected She-Ra running the Sword of Protection through her rib cage was still fresh in her mind.

"I can tell you've had some experience with that yourself." Stiletto regarded her cautiously. 

"What makes you think that?" Catra snapped.

"I apologize; I didn't mean to pry." He conjured up a tea set out of thin air and poured her a cup. "Please, have some tea. Chrysanthemum, from my own garden."

Catra lapped at the hot tea as she collected her thoughts. "I'm sorry if I was a little… on edge about that."

"Believe me, darling, I know what it's like." He raised his neck to show a savage scar hidden just under the collar. "I took a few lumps here and there back when I was in the Service."

"Then how'd you end up way out here in the sticks?"

"Well, disguise had always been something of a specialty of mine, and after I retired I wound up catching the eye of the then proprietaire, who taught me her ways and bequeathed the establishment unto me as it had been given to her in turn, as part of a long tradition dating back… oh, about five hundred years or so."

"My best friend killed me," Catra blurted out.

Dozens of knives immediately sprang out of hiding places around the boutique. "Should I rally the militia?"

"No, no, it wasn't like that! She… she was infected, and I was trying to stop her. And… and she brought me back to life, even if I didn't deserve it." Catra blinked and realized that there were tears in her eyes.

Stiletto floated a handkerchief over to her, which Catra used to wipe the tears away.

"Thanks," she sniffed. "I… I think I'd like some time to myself, if you have space."

"Of course, darling." Stiletto opened one of the doors to the back. "Go have a seat in the kitchen. Help yourself to anything if you're hungry."

* * *

Hordak dutifully followed Entrapta as she made off for the local library with far more speed than a woman who had spent her entire life tinkering in a lab should have been able to muster. The locals were stirring now, and many cast uneasy glances in their direction – more towards him than her.

They were a curious race; he had seen individuals display astounding feats of mental and physical prowess, but the average member seemed completely mundane. And as a society, there seemed to be little in the way of formal government; Hordak saw no evidence of law enforcement, and their hosts had been completely unconcerned over the question of immigration regulations.

How could a place like this exist? By all rights, it should have collapsed from external if not internal conflict.

"We're here!" Entrapta strode up to the crystal castle overlooking the town and through the open doors. Her jaw dropped as she saw a vast array of rooms and hallways lined with books.

"It's beautiful," she squealed.

"It's more than I expected," Hordak said.

"It's a library, and I'll thank you to keep your voices down." A white changeling glided down from the second story and glared at them with blood red eyes. "Just because there aren't other patrons at the moment doesn't give you license to cause a disturbance!"

"We apologize." Hordak placed a firm hand on Entrapta's shoulder. "My, ah, colleague and I were simply… overcome."

The changeling looked over its shoulder. "Yes, it's quite something, isn't it? I'll grant that the architecture would be more at home in the Crystal Republic; it does clash with the town somewhat, but–"

"I was told that I should talk to the head librarian," Entrapta breathed. "Would that be you?"

"Me? Oh, heavens no, she's out on business. I'm the assistant librarian, Le Blanc Cartouche."

Hordak looked at her curiously. "Are you by chance an albino?"

"An unfortunate defect in the cloning process," she sighed. "It happens every now and then."

Hordak bowed slightly. "You have my sympathies."

"Oh, it's not so bad. Working in a library keeps me away from the sun and around the things I love most." She looked at the books fondly. "There's enough knowledge in these walls to last a lifetime."

Entrapta's joyful expression turned into a pensive pout. "But then how can I read it all?"

Le Blanc grinned and held up a crystal data sphere. "Perhaps you would care to peruse our digital collection?"

* * *

Apple trees lined both sides of the path eastwards from the cottage. Each tree was full of juicy fruit, and Swift Wind could count dozens of distinct cultivars. Surely the owners wouldn't mind if he had just a little bite… or a few of them?

"What are you doing?" 

He gave a loud whiny and jumped into the air. "Scorpia! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Sorry," Scorpia chuckled. "It was either following you or going with Entrapta and Hordak to the library, and I'm not one for books. I could never figure out how to read them with these claws, you know?"

"Tell me about it. I don't know how these ponies do it." Swift Wind shook his head. "Well, I suppose we should go find the owner of this farm."

Scorpia pointed down the road. "I can see a barn through the trees!"

The barn and an accompanying farmhouse soon revealed themselves as they continued down the path. Barrels full of apples were stacked around the farm; it seemed as if work here began before dawn. Out by the road, at the entrance to the farm, was a small apple stand run by a bored looking pony.

"Howdy y'all," he said, seemingly unfazed by their appearances. "Visitin' from out of town?"

"You could say that," Swift Wind nodded. "I'm Swift Wind."

Scorpia waved cheerfully. "I'm Scorpia."

"Autumn Glory, nice to meetcha." He tipped his hat politely. "What brought you down here, Swift Wind?"

"Oh, that's a long story. We were originally trying to find Tabula Rasa, but then this fellow called Discord diverted us here because we'd have landed right in the middle of a battlefield otherwise."

"Yeah, that happens. This town is a magnet for all the weirdness in Equestria."

"Oh, so you know her?"

"She visits town with Morning Star from time to time. She usually hits up the library while Morning Star drops by the farm to help out."

Swift Wind looked over the orchard thoughtfully. "Huh. He didn't seem like a farmer."

"I wouldn't call him one, but he was born here, and I guess you never really forget your roots, you know? And this place… this place is special. Really calls out to all of us." He turned around slightly so that they could see the image three autumn leaves on his flank. 

"That's so cool!" Scorpia clapped her claws. "You got a tattoo?"

"It's more of a mark of destiny than a tattoo. Shows up when we find out true callin'. So yeah, I guess I'm here for the apple trees."

"True calling?" Swift Wind thought about his hosts. "Huh. I wonder why Rook and Raven don't have them."

"Oh those two?" Autumn Glory clucked his tongue. "I suppose they just haven't found their purpose yet. Actually, it's a little odd given their age, 'cause it implies that their talent might not be–" He broke off and shook his head. "That ain't none of my business, really. I'm just here to sell apples. Y'all want some?"

Scorpia pulled out a small coin purse and counted her gold pieces. "How much do they cost?"

"Don't worry about it," Autumn Glory chuckled. "The prices are purely nominal."

Swift Wind's eyes glazed over. "You mean I can have as many apples as I want? And they're all free?"

He winnied loudly and made a beeline for the apples while Scorpia watched in disbelief.

"How can you just give them away?"

Autum Glory shrugged. "Money's just here to show that you're a productive member of society worth tradin' with; you're not from around here so I don't expect you to have any just yet."

"Things aren't like that where I'm from. Then again, I was raised by an evil army that rationed everything..."

"I take it you prefer Equestria?"

"It's nice. I never knew anywhere could be this peaceful. Even after I left the Horde, I still saw what they had done everywhere." Scorpia looked down at the ground. "It makes it hard some days, you know? I get up, I put on a big smile, I try to stay positive, but I was part of it for so long…"

Autumn Glory pushed an apple towards her. "You know what I like about Equestria? We didn't used to be peaceful – we've fought among ourselves a lot over the centuries – but we came together when we decided it was better to forgive and accept what everyone was offerin' in good faith. So no one had to worry about runnin' out of water, apples, or clothes anymore because we all do our part, no matter where we came from."

"I guess the fact that you also have have super-clones and demi-gods is a nice fringe benefit," Scorpia chuckled.

"Well, certainly doesn't hurt..."

* * *

The tea in Catra's cup had grown cold by the time Stiletto knocked on the kitchen door. Catra bit her lip; she was unsure if she could trouble him with her problems, but she could not hide in the kitchen forever, and the only way out was through the shop.

She took in a deep breath and opened the door. "Sorry, I… I guess I lost track of time."

"Darling, don't worry about it. I was busy designing the armor for you myself." Stiletto brought in a set of clothing tucked neatly into a small backpack. "If you want to leave, then we can fit it and bid each other adieu, but I get the feeling there's something on your chest."

"I…" Catra swallowed nervously. "I'll be fine."

Stiletto frowned. "You said that your friend brought you back to life, even though you didn't deserve it. Come now, that's a rather strong statement to make, don't you think?"

"Not if you nearly destroyed reality," Catra muttered.

"Oh dear, that is quite something." Stiletto pushed her back towards the table. "Have a seat, darling. You look like you could use some liquid fortification."

Stiletto poured a bottle of liquor whose contents smelled strongly of pine trees into two glasses, and then dropped a lemon peel into each glass. "Bottoms up, darling."

The cocktail lit Catra's throat on fire, but she drained the glass determinedly until it was all gone.

"Better?"

"A little, I guess." Catra stumbled over the words slightly, but she felt much more relaxed.

"So you nearly destroyed the universe, did you?" Stiletto did not wait for a response before he continuing on. "You're not the only one around here who has made poor choices – I myself had quite the temper when I was younger – but it's not something you deserve to die for, darling."

"Why not? I don't think there's a way to make up to my friends for betraying them and nearly getting them all erased from existence."

Stiletto sipped from his glass slowly. "Is that how it works? You provide something of value for your friends, they do the same for you, and when you make a mistake, you have to correct the balance?"

"Well it wouldn't be fair otherwise, would it? I said I'd look out for her if she looked out for me. And I didn't." Catra looked down at her empty glass. "So many bad things happened because of me, things that I can't fix. Horde Prime conquered Etheria, because I led him to it."

"And if you can't fix the problem, you don't really deserve to be forgiven."

"I suppose not."

"For only blood can wipe out blood; and only tears can heal." Stiletto murmured as he took another sip from his glass. "Humor me a moment: Suppose someone committed an act of murder and was sentenced to jail for it. And with that time spent in jail, came to understand right and wrong, and afterwards set about helping people. Would such an individual ever be worthy of forgiveness in the eyes of society or the friends and family of the victim?"

"Maybe," Catra mumbled. "If they really meant it, maybe."

"But they could never bring the dead back to life, could they?"

"Not unless you're an eight foot tall warrior princess with a golden tiara."

"So why should society ever forgive someone for it?"

Catra frowned. "Look, Stiletto, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but you can save lives and maybe make up for a murder; I can't fight off a battlefleet or free Etheria."

"You can't change the task ahead of you, darling, but you can choose whether or not to take it up." Stiletto finished the drink and handed her the package. "Here, I did my best to update your wardrobe. I couldn't give you a pair of proper combat boots – Heaven knows I'm not a shoemaker – but I think you'll be happy with what I whipped up."

"Alright." Catra fumbled for her wallet. "How much do I owe you?"

"Darling, please. I'm just glad to help," Stiletto chuckled. "I just hope you do the same for others in turn."

* * *

Mara was the last one to wake up, and sat at the table quietly eating her oatmeal by herself. Adora watched her with a mixture of concern and pity; her time as She-Ra had taken a toll on her mental state. What could have happened to do that to such a strong warrior?

Adora sat down next to her and gave her a reassuring smile. "Hey, uh, Mara… do you want to go outside with me after you're finished eating?"

"Not particularly." Mara said bluntly.

Behind them, Rook gestured at Raven to do something to help.

Raven rolled her eyes and stomped her way to the table. "Oh go for a walk. You two are the last thing we need around the house when we're doing chores."

Mara stood up abruptly. "Fine. Lead the way, Adora."

They traveled into the forest path until Adora found a peaceful clearing with a brook trickling through it. "Are you alright, Mara?"

"I suppose things could be worse." Mara gently caressed the flowers growing along the path. "This world is… beautiful. Serene. What I hoped Etheria would be like."

"Mara," Adora asked quietly. "Why did you send Etheria into Despondos?"

"Because I saw my own people become more and more desperate to win a war with the Horde, to the point where I couldn't even recognize them anymore." Mara buried her face in her hands. "I… I couldn't be their protector after that, or allow them to use Etheria against the rest of the universe."

"What could Etheria do to the universe?" Adora put her hands on Mara's shoulders. "Mara, please. I need to know."

"You saw what happened when Catra breached the dimensional barrier keeping Etheria separate from the rest of the universe. Can you imagine the destructive power if you could selectively tear holes in the fabric of space-time to force your enemies into alternate realities, until they were torn apart and erased from reality?"

Adora's jaw dropped open. "But how could they even do that?"

Mara sighed. "It all began on Eternia, at Castle Grayskull…"


	6. On The Flip Side

Horde Voxx ate her first meal of her captivity in silence. Glimmer had given up on her tactical assessment after a string of easy victories and had gone back to her philosophy book, which bought Voxx an opportunity to compile what she had learned about the Rebellion.

Her first impression was that these people had no idea what they were doing. Not only was their method of extracting information from prisoners inefficient, they did not even have the presence of mind to lace her food with drugs. She would have completely written them off as amateurs if they had not destroyed Horde Prime's first invasion attempt.

The most likely explanation was that this was all a facade, and they had decided to skip the conventional approach for something more sophisticated. Even if it did not seem that way.

"So why the interest in philosophy, Princess?" Voxx cocked her head. "Your mother wishes to impart a well-rounded classical education?"

"It's my own idea," Glimmer responded dryly. "I found myself queen for a week when my mother disappeared, and I realized I was completely unprepared for it."

"Seems a waste of time that could be better spent on building up your military," Voxx said. "Not that it would have made any difference in your case, mind you."

Glimmer rolled her eyes. "Really, is there nothing else in your life other than planetary invasion?"

"Yes," Voxx grinned. "Preparing for the next one."

* * *

Voxx's quarters aboard the _ Amphion _were spartan, with scarcely enough room for a bed and a desk beside it. The mattress was far too firm and gave Double Trouble the worst rest she had in a long time, but it would have to do.

She opened the door and beckoned for Xaan. "Where are my materials? I grow weary of waiting, Xaan!"

"A thousand apologies, Lady Voxx!" Xaan hurried to the door with his claws full of data pads. "There were so many files in the library–"

"I asked for information, not excuses!" Double Trouble shot him a withering glare, and saw him almost collapse in fright. "Get in and put those pads down before you try any more of my exceedingly thin patience!"

"Of course, Lady Voxx." Xaan hurried into the room and dropped the pads on the desk before bolting out.

Double Trouble closed the door and broke down into a fit of giggles. It was all too easy to keep him off balance and too distracted to question the orders he was given, such as procuring a treasure trove of information.

Horde Voxx's references were extensive, but she had fortunately made summaries for herself on one data pad.

_ Etheria _

_ Most of what we know of Etheria is half-remembered legend from an age long past. It was said to be the pinnacle of First One's technological achievement and their greatest weapon, capable of harnessing the dimensional energies that converged at its sister planet Eternia. Eternia would use these energies to generate a highly localized resonance cascades by creating a Factorized Loop Oscillating Resonance Phase Unification State. The effect would be to send the targets colliding with alternate dimensions until they ripped themselves to shreds. _

_ There are no signs of such a nexus at Eternia, nor of any other habitable planets in its solar system, though the orbits of various bodies in the solar system do suggest that there was a planet there a millenia ago. _

_ Eternia _

_ The only notable thing about Eternia is that it once housed the Star Seed, a leftover spark from the moment of creation some fourteen billion years ago. However, after the sorcerer-warlord known as "Skeletor" lost the Star Seed to a "He-Man", Eternia ceased to be of any value to the Horde and has languished in obscurity ever since. _

_ Skeletor is a firm believer in the existence of a dimensional nexus on Eternia, but Horde Prime has grown weary of his empty promises and failures. The idiot should consider himself lucky that Horde Prime has decided to grant him another chance by capturing "She-Ra", who is supposedly related to "He-Man". (Allies? Siblings?) _

Double Trouble tapped the name "He-Man" and the pad opened a new file.

_ He-Man _

_ According to reports from Skeletor, He-Man is the protector of Castle Grayskull and its secrets. He supposedly wields "the power of Grayskull" through his "Sword of Power, which allows him to become "the most powerful man in the universe", but how powerful can he be if he cannot even defeat Skeletor? (This is clearly just Skeletor making excuses for why he keeps failing to conquer even one backwards planet. Horde Prime was right to cut off that embarrassment.) _

"Well, what about She-Ra?"

_ She-Ra _

_ Although the Horde's initial attempt to conquer Etheria failed for reasons outside of Horde Prime's control, he was fortunately able to capture their leader of the Etherian resistance, She-Ra. _

_ She-Ra, like He-Man, wields a sword that allows her to transform into a mighty warrior. Compared to who she was before (a talented, but not extraordinary, human cadet) the form of She-Ra represents a tenfold increase in capabilities, but comes with severe weaknesses as well. The technological nature of the sword allows it to be controlled, and through it She-Ra as well. _

"This is fantastic," Double Trouble breathed. "I just have to get it to the Rebellion somehow. Glimmer's going to be so happy!"

A sharp knock came from the door. Double Trouble opened it to see Xaan again.

"What is it now, Xaan? I am not in the mood for any more of your incompetence!"

"I'm sorry, Lady Voxx, but it's Horde Prime," he squeaked. "He wishes to speak with you right away!"

Double Trouble tensed up. "As I expected. Take me to him now, Xaan." 

* * *

The Milky Way Command's docking ring was vast; Skeletor's small transport was dwarfed by the dozens of cruisers surrounding the station. The ring connected to the station's central hub, where troops could gather and relax under a view of the heavens. Various shops and stands crewed by a diverse assortment of civilian vendors were scattered around the hub.

Tolliver made a beeline for a frozen confection cart and the nervous looking lizard who was preparing ice cream. 

"Hey there! Can I have … " Tolliver blinked as he realized that he could not read the words on the menu. "Well, give me two scoops of whatever sells the best."

The vendor handed him a cone full of a deep purple icecream. "There you go. Five credits."

"Credits? Er…" Tolliver looked over at Lonnie. "Hey, uh, Force Captain… did they give you any credits?"

Lonnie smacked her forehead. "Oh for the love of the Horde."

She strode up to the icecream vendor and showed him her badge. "Here, charge it to Skeletor."

The lizard scanned the badge and his cart chimed merrily. "Alright, there you go. I hope you enjoy it, we're all out of Purple Rain today."

A Hordesman in full body armor slammed his fist on the cart. "What? UNACCEPTABLE! I did not march all the way over from the barracks to be denied my ice cream!

"Would you like to share?" Tolliver asked nervously.

"... are you mocking me?"

Lonnie stepped in front of him. "Back off, pal. Maybe if you didn't spend your rec time eating dessert you'd be fast enough to get here on time."

The Hordsman cracked his knuckles. "Big words from a half-pint."

Lonnie tapped her badge. "This half-pint is a Force Captain, so maybe you should watch what you say."

"Please," he sneered. "Force Captain by whose authority? A disgraced clone holds no authority here in the Horde! Perhaps I should show you second-rate soldiers from a third-rate planet how things work in the Galactic Horde!"

He threw a fast punch that knocked Lonnie away and into a trashcan. She fell to the ground and looked up to see him raise his foot to stomp down on her, only for Tolliver to jump onto him from behind and smash his ice cream into the soldier's visor. The Hordsman threw Tolliver off and began frantically cleaning his visor, which gave Lonnie an opening to kick him hard in the knees and knock him down. 

A stun-bolt singed her hair as it flew past her ear; she rolled behind the trashcan and saw that other Hordsmen were charging towards them as the Etherian Horde soldiers came to back her up.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS RUCKUS?" Skeletor's nasally voice rang out above the tumult as a wall of fire sprang up between the two sides. "I can't let you out of my sight for five minutes without something going wrong!"

"Then you should keep better control over your minions!" The Hordesman got up off the floor and stared down Skeletor. "They don't deserve to breathe the same air as real Hordesmen!"

"Watch who you're talking to," Skeletor snapped. "I have been given a mission by Horde Prime himself, and we've got as much right to be here as you do, you giant cabbage!"

"What did you call me?" He reached down to grab Skeletor, only to receive a punch to the gut that sent him flying clear over the heads of the other Hordesmen to the far end of the hub.

"Does anyone else have something to say?" Skeletor pointed his staff at the others, who slowly backed away from him. "Good, then let this be a lesson to you nincompoops: no one stands in the way of Skeletor!"

Lonnie grabbed Tolliver by his collar as the Hordemen dispersed and hissed into his ear. "Was the ice cream worth it, you idiot?"

Tolliver took a bite of the cone in his hand and spat it out as the alien flavor assaulted his taste buds. "Not remotely."

* * *

Unlike the others, Shadow Weaver had stayed aboard Skeletor's ship upon being dismissed. The ship was an advanced piece of technology, but that was of no interest to her; she wanted to glean insight into the sorcerer she was now taking orders from. Amidst the vast array of electronics and machinery, she managed to find what were doubtlessly his personal possessions: A suit of armor, several weapons, and a crystal ball.

Shadow Weaver put her hand over the crystal ball and cast a reading spell upon it. Skeletor's aura lingered on the mystical scrying tool, and she could sense the signature of a vast, malicious energy. She reached for it, and saw visions of his past; how he had traveled for millennia from dimension to dimension in search of ultimate power, until he arrived at a nexus of many worlds.

On this world, there was a castle of gray bricks in the shape of a skull, and standing before it was a muscular young man with blond hair, who wielded a sword similar to that which She-Ra had. Battle after battle between Skeletor and the man flashed through her mind, each one ending in Skeletor's ignominious defeat.

"What are you doing?"

Her concentration broke as his shrill voice pierced the air. She drew her hand back from the crystal ball and bowed before him.

"Forgive me, Skeletor. I thought that I might make better use of my time gathering intelligence on She-Ra."

"A good habit, but a waste of time in this case," Skeletor said. "We are here at the Milky Way Command because they are in another galaxy. They call it the Pegasus Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy, and it's almost three million light-years away. You're not going to get any reception out there."

"As you say, Skeletor." Shadow Weaver walked up to him and produced an old book of spells. "Perhaps in lieu of spying on our targets, we could compare spells and work out a strategy for subduing the targets?"

Skeletor scratched his jawbone. "Ah yes, very good. You remind me of my second-in-command back home. Come, let's prepare a show of force for those miserable fools the likes of which they've never seen!"

* * *

Bow watched the Hordesmen patrolling the streets of Bright Moon below them cautiously. They had avoided notice so far, but it was hard keeping ahead of the endless patrols and search teams the Horde could send after them. Behind him, Sea Hawk, Kyle and Rohelio waited under the cover of a laundry line full of linens.

"So what's the plan?" Sea Hawk whispered. "Shall we sneak past them with cat-like tread?"

"Nor with the amount of sensors they've got," Bow said. 

Kyle clung onto Rogelio tightly. "What do we do? We can't hide here forever."

Bow put a hand on his shoulder. "We don't need to hide forever, we just need to evade them until we can form a plan."

Rogelio looked at the laundry around them thoughtfully. "I bet walking around in the heavy armor Horde Prime's troops wear gets uncomfortable quickly. How do they clean the suits?"

"You're thinking we should disguise ourselves as the enemy, eh?" Sea Hawk slapped him on the back. "A classic stratagem! I like your boldness!"

"We'd have to fake IDs, but it's not impossible," Bow mused. "Let's keep tabs on them and see where they're washing their clothes. A force of their size must have commandeered local laundries."


	7. Reunions

Adora sat in numb silence next to Mara as she struggled to process what she had been told. The thought of deliberately tearing the fabric of reality to destroy an enemy was monstrous; the thought that her home was the instrument of destruction was appalling. Yet here was Mara telling her that it was what the First Ones had planned for Etheria.

"I should have known something was wrong when I saw Light Hope," Adora sighed. "Catra was right; I'm naive and gullible."

Mara put a hand on hers. "It's not your fault, Adora. They convinced many to take up the mantle of She-Ra without fully understanding the terrible burden that comes with it."

Adora drew the Sword of Protection and planted it in the ground. "So what do we do with this?"

"It's yours now; you might as well do what good you can with it. Remember: You are She-Ra; you decide your fate, not Light Hope or the First Ones."

The Sword of Protection reflected Adora's face and caught all of her conflicting emotions. "Mara, I still want to help people. I'm willing to be the hero they need, but I don't know how. Can you show me?"

"I can't teach you everything," Mara said sadly. "And I don't know if we have the time. My training took years, and I never finished it.."

"Then what do you suggest I do now?"

Mara frowned. "To stop the Horde? You'd need a fleet. They crushed mighty civilizations in my time, and I doubt they've grown weaker since."

"Yet Hordak told us about how he was sent to the front lines to die in battle; surely resistance must still exist somewhere?"

"But for how long?" Mara gestured to the woods around them. "Do you think this planet would last five minutes if the Horde arrived?"

"They sent powerful allies to help us."

"And one of them died fighting a handful of ships. Not even a full battlefleet. The Horde could turn this forest to ash, boil away the seas and turn the remaining land into glass if they chose."

Adora felt anger boiling inside of her. "So that's it? You've given up?"

"I'm not giving up; I never wanted to be a part of this in the first place!" Birds in the foliage startled at the sound of her voice. "I don't like the Horde, but I'm not a warrior, Adora! I never wanted to be a hero. I just… I just want to be me."

Mara buried her head in her hands. "Do you know what it's like to be raised your entire life apart from everyone else? To have had your destiny laid out before you by people who claimed to know better? And then realize it was all a lie?"

Adora knelt down in front of her and wrapped her arms around Mara in a tight hug. "I'm sorry, Mara. The Horde raised me like that, and I hate what it did to me and my friends. You… you're right, I shouldn't be pushing you to join a fight if that's not what you want."

"Thank you, Adora." Mara said softly. "I do hope you find a way to stop the Horde, but I don't know of a way to help you. I'm sorry."

* * *

In order to be fully protected during battle, Etherian natives favored plate and scale mail, while the Horde wore full body armor made of advanced alloys. This worked well for static defenders, but mobile warfare was demanding and required less weight. Bow chose to leave his midriff exposed, while Horde soldiers generally went without armor unless they had the fortune to be born with scales or exoskeletons. (Horde Prime's soldiers were a different matter, since the Galactic Horde had access to more advanced powered combat armor. It was still cumbersome, but much easier to move around in.)

Catra found her new vest was much lighter than the Horde's armor while the maroon undersuit it came with aggressively wicked away sweat. It was flexible enough to allow for a wide range of movement, and came with a set of tassets that extended the protection down to her thighs.

A pair of arm-length fingerless gloves and leggings made of the same fabric came with it. Catra put them on and immediately tested them out by jumping up into a tree. She caught a branch with her claws and swung herself up into the canopy with ease; the new armor barely got in her way as she perched herself on the topmost branches.

She let herself down onto the ground and unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks at the tree; each time she hit it, the armor hardened to spread the force of the impact over her knuckles and shins.

"What are you doing?"

Catra looked over to see Swift Wind and Scorpia hauling a cart full of apples towards the cottage. "Just getting some exercise in."

"You? Exercise?" Scorpia raised an eyebrow. "You never train!"

"I guess I'm in a good mood," Catra shrugged. "So what's with the fruit?"

"I think I found heaven." Swift Wind sighed fondly. "I've decided that I'm going to retire here when this is all over."

"I guess I better start looking for a planet full of cats." Catra swiped a red apple from the cart and bit into the crisp flesh. She preferred ration bars and meat when she could get it, but the apple was surprisingly refreshing. "Wow. I can see why you want to live here."

Scorpia handed her a green apple. "You should try the tart ones!"

"I, uh… ok, I suppose." Catra accepted it awkwardly. ""So… do you want to head back together?"

Swift Wind shrugged. "Sure, why not?" 

They walked down the road in silence as Catra ate her way through the sour apple. When she was finished, she looked between the core and Scorpia.

"Thanks," she said.

"Oh, don't mention it."

Catra clung onto the core. "No, I mean it. I'm sorry I didn't say it before, but… I appreciate the apple. A lot."

There was a moment of tense silence between them until Scorpia nodded. "I appreciate it."

"I didn't know you two liked apples so much," Swift Wind said.

Scorpia laughed and put her arm around Catra's shoulder. "Yeah. Apples."

Catra was unsure of what else to say, so she simply kept close to Scorpia as they walked back to the cottage. She put a hand on Scorpia's claw and felt the scratches running over it, many of which were filled with soil.

"Looks like you've been working."

"Well, I didn't feel right taking apples without paying, so I did a few odd jobs." Scorpia clicked her claws. "Turns out these things can be really handy!"

Catra reached into her backpack and tore a strip of fabric off of her old Horde uniform so that she could clean Scorpia's exoskeleton.

"Oh Catra, you don't have to do that."

"Its ok. I was going to get rid of it anyways." Catra looked up at Scorpia. "You got some on your face too."

She wiped off Scorpia's forehead and a splash of mud on her jaw. Scorpia's head turned towards Catra from the pressure and they found themselves looking into each other's eyes. They came to a stop as Scorpia put her arm around Catra's waist and leaned over.

"We're here!" Swift Wind shouted.

Scorpia released Catra immediately and cleared her throat. "I, uh, thanks. Guess I should go get cleaned up for lunch then."

Catra wanted to call for Scorpia to stay, but the words stuck in her throat as she watched Scorpia's disappear into the cottage. She was tempted to punch the cart in frustration, but settled for leaning against it and burying her face in her hands.

Swift Wind walked over to her cautiously. "I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?"

"Does a bear shit in the woods?"

"Around here? I wouldn't be surprised if they were potty trained." Swift Wind laughed awkwardly. "Ok, I get what you mean. I didn't mean to ruin the moment."

"Yeah, well… maybe it was for the best."

"What? Scorpia's great. She's fun to be around, can eat almost as much as I can, really nice…"

"Sometimes too much for her own good," Catra muttered. "Go eat your apples, I'm going to get lunch."

Swift Wind shook his head as Catra left him. "That girl has more issues than a magazine."

Catra walked into the cottage to find Entrapta and Hordak sitting around a data pad which had been jury-rigged to accomodate a crystal sphere. She nodded stiffly to them as she entered the living room, unsure of whether they were still on speaking terms.

"Hey Catra!" Entrapta chirped, as Hordak returned her nod. "You won't believe all this data I got from the library! There's exabytes of information on this thing!"

"Is any of it going to help us against the Horde?"

"I don't know! That's the beauty of it!" Entrapta's hair wrapped around the timbers in the ceiling and pulled herself up so that she could shove the data pad in Catra's face. "This library collection goes deep into magic, the history of Equestria, and the universe!"

"Sounds like fun bedtime reading." 

"Isn't it?" Entrapta dropped herself on Hordak's lap. "You want to read with me?"

Hordak looked visibly flustered. "I suppose I could yes."

Catra left the two of them alone and made her way to the back yard, where she saw Adora and Mara coming out of the woods.

"Hey Catra!" Adora walked over and gave Catra a tight hug. Her hands wandered over Catra's gloves and vest as she felt the fabric. "New outfit?"

"Yeah." Catra blushed as she relished the sensation of Adora touching her. "You two went for a walk?"

"We had a discussion," Mara said. "Adora is determined to fight the Horde, and I wish her the best."

Catra crossed her arms. "Still rebelling, Adora?"

"It's not like I have any other options; I can't exactly surrender to Horde Prime. But more than that… I want to do this. I want to fight."

Catra ruffled Adora's hair. "Of course you do."

"Come on, let's get lunch." Adora put her arm around Catra's waist and led her back into the cottage.

* * *

Horde Prime's face loomed on a massive display screen on the bridge of the  _ Amphion  _ as his soldiers stood at attention. Double Trouble had no idea what Horde protocols were, but copying what Force Captain Xaan seemed like a safe course of action, even if he did have more legs and claws.

"My dear Voxx, how goes the compliance of Etheria?" His voice rang out and echoed against the walls; Double Trouble's guessed that it was a psychological tactic to intimidate his underlings. 

Double Trouble bowed deep to buy some time. "All goes well, Lord Prime! The princesses are cowed and She-Ra has fled, along with Hordak. None dare challenge the might of the Horde!"

"Disappointing, but to be expected. My little brother could never face failure," Horde Prime said. "Have you made progress on the runestones?"

"Things are proceeding as you instructed." Double Trouble steadied a nervous tremor in both hands. "Xaan! Make yourself useful and deliver the status report!"

Xaan looked as surprised as an insect could. "Yes, Lady Voxx! I am pleased to report that we have deployed troops across Etheria to secure the runestones so that we may harness the power of Etheria once it has been brought out of Despondos."

Horde Prime frowned, and remained silent. The atmosphere was tense as they waited for his response.

"Force Captain Xaan," he said after several long minutes, "Cut Voxx's head off."

"Sir, I–"

"NOW!" Horde Prime roared.

Double Trouble dashed away towards the exit, only to find it cut off by Hordesmen. "Lord Prime, please! I don't know how I displeased you, but let me make amends!"

"You can drop the pretense," Horde Prime growled. "Did you think your charade would last more than an instant? If I could not detect deception, would I become the ruler of the universe? The real Horde Voxx would never run from death; she has been cloned and revived innumerable times. Reveal yourself, and I may yet show you mercy."

Double Trouble sighed and changed back into a salamander-like body.

"Fascinating." Horde Prime looked over her with interest. "It would be a shame to destroy a specimen with such potential, but I suppose Horde Voxx has priority when determining your punishment."

He switched his attention to the Force Captain. "Xaan, you will lead your troops on a mission to recover Horde Voxx. Then, upon her safe return to this ship, you will ask her for permission to throw yourself out of the airlock. Do I make myself clear?"

Double Trouble almost pitied the Force Captain as he bowed before the screen.

* * *

Horde Voxx had never wasted a moment in her life with the Horde. Every living moment was spent preparing for whatever task Horde Prime had for her, whether it be pouring over reports or training for combat. Even now, as a hostage, she took detailed mental notes of her captor.

_ Glimmer _

_ Princess Glimmer of Bright Moon is a child who has been forced into an adult rule far too soon in her life. Her rank as a commander of the Rebellion and brief tenure as Queen of Bright Moon thrust far more responsibility on her than she was prepared for. If she did not have "She-Ra" as an ally, I doubt the Rebellion would have lasted as long as it did. _

_ She seems to primarily utilize teleportation when in combat in addition to some sort of aura covering her fists. Her magic is drawn from her kingdom’s “Runestone”, like many of Etheria's other princesses. In addition, she is surprisingly more dignified and intelligent than I was expecting. I believe that she could be useful as a member of the Horde, at least more than some of our Force Captains. _

A thunderous roar filled the air as a Horde transport descended on Bright Moon; Voxx smiled as she recognized the slightly out of tune engines. The palace was soon filled with shouting and the sound of Hordemen forcing their way through the hallways. The door to the spare room flew open with a bang as Xaan leaped in.

Voxx sat up on the bed and clapped her hands. "Well done, Force Captain. How long did it take you to realize that they had given you a second-rate impostor?"

"Far too long. I can only beg for your forgiveness." Xan chittered. "Horde Prime has told me to request permission to throw myself out of an airlock!"

"Hm. An interesting thought; I'll consider it. And as for the impostor?"

"Horde Prime says that he will leave her fate to you."

"Splendid. I shall certainly weigh my options, but bring me Glimmer for now."

The Hordesmen parted ways and one threw Glimmer onto the ground in front of Voxx.

"Hello, Princess." Voxx crouched down so that she was looking through the barrier at Glimmer's terrified face. "Would you mind letting me out now? I'd like to get some fresh air."

"Voxx, please listen to me. I'll accept full responsibility for all this, just don't–"

Voxx tapped on barrier. Glimmer swallowed her words and dispelled the wards keeping her inside.

"Thank you." Voxx extended a hand to help Glimmer up off of the ground. "Princess Glimmer, I would like to courteously extend an offer for you to join me aboard my ship given the hospitality you have shown me."

"Just let me say goodbye to my mother," Glimmer said quietly. "Then I'll come with you."

"Good," Voxx purred. "We will be waiting for you at the ship."

* * *

Glimmer stumbled into the Princess Alliance's meeting room with tears in her eyes. Her mother and fellow Princesses rose to greet her, under the watchful eyes of the Hordesmen that now filled the palace.

"I'm sorry," Glimmer said as she hugged Queen Angella.

"For what, Glimmer?" Queen Angella smiled at her sadly. "This is not your fault."

"I didn't start it, but I should have stopped Double Trouble from making things worse."

"That's all in the past now," Perfuma sighed. "Let's focus on what we can do now that they've found out."

Frosta looked at the soldiers surrounding them nervously. "Are they going to… you know…"

"Maybe not. Horde Voxx told me to come with her…"

Angella kissed her forehead. "Then go. I'll be here when you return, I promise."

"S-sure mom," Glimmer sniffed. "I'll see all of you soon."

* * *

The Galactic Horde may have been run by Horde Prime clones, but the foot soldiers were members of subservient races. And even then, there was a hierarchy between those who were conquered and those who had joined willingly, with Etherian Horde soldiers being on the very bottom of the totem pole due to Hordak's status as a disgraced general.

Fortunately, Skeletor's display of might improved their standing somewhat; it seemed as if no one wanted to get in the way of a sorcerer who could knock troopers wearing power armor aside as if they were made of paper, or interfere with a mission from Horde Prime himself. It was sufficient to get the Etherian troops above average accommodations and rations.

Unfortunately, comfort only went so far in the Horde. Instead of a barracks, the Etherian soldiers were given private rooms. The enlisted were boarded four to a room, except for Tolliver, who was assigned to a two bed officer's suite with Lonnie.

He stared at the ceiling of their room and squeezed a pen between his fingers as he tried to will himself to sleep. "So, uh, Force Captain. Are you nervous about tomorrow?"

"What's the matter? You scared?"

"I'm not scared, but we are going up against She-Ra. And it's not like Scorpia or Catra are pushovers either. So I'm a little apprehensive."

Lonnie rolled her eyes. "They don't have a chance between Skeletor and Shadow Weaver. And if not, the new weapons we got should take 'em down."

Tolliver sighed. "As you say, Force Captain."


	8. Fight Or Flight

The lunch Rook and Raven prepared that day consisted of salad, sweet potatoes, and cupcakes served outside on the patio, accompanied by fresh rainwater that Rook wrangler out for a passing cloud. It was a simple affair, or would have been if Catra did not have a knot in her stomach as she considered her seating options. Sitting next to Adora was her usual standby, but the only open space next to Adora would have placed her next to Scorpia.

The memory of their moment on the road flashed through Catra's head. Being raised in the Horde meant that she had little to no understanding of romance, but even she could tell that Scorpia had feelings for her – feelings that were coming to the surface again after Catra started treating her better.

It was not a good sign given Catra's tendency to hurt her friends.

She bit her lip, What if she hurt Adora too? They had reconciled in the aftermath of their last battle, but that didn't mean they were in the clear. She could still do something, even if by mistake.

Maybe she shouldn't be here. Maybe she should slip out while everyone was distracted. The Rebellion hardly need another fighter, and she could make a living in Equestria easily enough.

"Get out of the way," Raven growled.

Catra startled and jumped out of the doorway. "Sorry, I… I got lost in thought."

"Then think when you're sitting down." Raven pushed a cart full of food past her. "Are you going to come eat or what? I spent all morning making this."

"Maybe I could eat in the dining room?"

Raven ignored her and kept going. Catra sighed as she took the empty spot..

"Hiya buddy!"

"Hey Catra."

"Yeah, uh… good to see you two again." Catra sat down and kept her eyes on her plate.

Adora and Scorpia exchanged glances.

"Do you want a salad?"

"Ooh! How about a cupcake?"

Catra sniffed the green leaves suspiciously. "Uh, no thanks. And you really shouldn't be eating dessert first, Scorpia."

She grabbed a sweet potato and chewed on it slowly as the others talked among themselves. Everyone seemed so happy together, even with Hordak in tow. Then again, Hordak had done work for the Rebellion, even in the short time before the Horde conquered Etheria. Catra had done nothing.

Another sweet potato suddenly appeared on her dish.

"Here you go!" Scorpia said cheerfully. "You should try the ones with butter."

"You don't need to do that."

"Nah, it's not a problem."

"You shouldn't… I mean, I should do it myself."

Adora sensed that something was off and put a hand on Catra's arm. "Catra, what's wrong? She was just trying to help."

"Yeah, Scorpia's very helpful," Catra said quietly. "So are you. And sometimes i wish you weren't."    
  


"Now hold on, Wildcat–"

Scorpia put a claw on Catra's other arm, and Catra responded by wrenching herself out of their grasps and performing a backflip away from the table. The table ground to a halt as everyone stared at her. Catra saw the shock in Adora and Scorpia's eyes as they saw the fright in her own before she bolted into the Everfree Forest.

"What was that?" Mara groaned.

Hordak rubbed his temples. "My former second-in-command having a breakdown."

"The data suggests so," Entrapta nodded. "We should probably stop her from getting lost in the woods."

Swift Wind spread his wings and took to the sky. "Come on, before we lose sight of her!"

"Urgh, fine." Raven followed him up and over into the forest, while Rook joined him without complaint.

Adora put a hand on Scorpia's shoulder. "Scorpia, let's go! The rest of you just stay here in case she comes back, alright?"

* * *

The Everfree Forest lived up to its name; unlike the well managed farmland around it, the forest was wild and unkempt. There was only a small bastion of order deep in the forest at an ancient castle where the rulers of the old Kingdom of Equestria had once held court, as Entrapta was happy to inform Adora and Scorpia over the radio. (The castle had long since been converted to a tourist attraction, while the former rulers were happily retired on an island somewhere.)

It may not have been as deliberately confusing as the Whispering Woods of Etheria, but its vast size, and actively hostile terrain made transferring it a nightmare. The dangerous creatures were a problem as well, but both Adora and Scorpia were used to those.

"Urgh, my aching feet," Adora groaned as she collapsed onto the bank of a small stream. 

Scorpia sat down next to her. "I hear ya', this has been a real challenge of a day. I can't believe she'd just run off like that!"

Adora shook her head. "I can't either, but people do strange things when they're scared."

"What did she have to be afraid of? Everything was going fine!"

"I think she was afraid that she didn't deserve it."

"Well… I suppose it's nice that she's being less selfish, but of all the times for it to kick in…" Scorpia sighed and rubbed her temples. "Was I too nice to her?"

"What? No! Scorpia, this isn't your fault. It was great that you were able to forgive her. It's just that Catra… Catra had a rough childhood, and it's not going to go away anytime soon." Adora looked down at the water and started crying. "If anything, it's my fault. I should have realized there was something wrong with the Horde if they let Shadow Weaver hurt her. I should have helped her get out rather than just protecting."

Scorpia wrapped her arms around Adora and held her close. "Hey, don't be like that. You were a good friend; you may not have been perfect, but you were a kid then and I'm sure you did the best you could. I haven't known you for long, but I can already tell that you're kind, you're brave, and you're loyal. Forget everything I said when we were in the Northern Reach: you're a good friend and Catra was lucky to have you."

"Thanks, Scorpia," Adora sniffed. "You're a good person, and I'm glad you're with us now."

"Any time, Adora." Scorpia kissed her forehead. "You're my friend now too, aren't you?"

"I'll be honest, part of me still wonders if you dislike me sometimes."

"Only a reasonable amount." Scorpia gave Adora a reassuring pat on the back. "Are you good, or do you want to cool your heels a bit longer?"

Adora rested her head against Scorpia's neck. "Maybe a little bit longer."

* * *

The moon was high up in the sky by the time they saw the first sign of Catra: a torn Horde uniform was resting on top of a thorny bush deep in the forest. From the bush, they could see a hole in the ground, barely large enough for a person to enter through.

"Wow, this is creepy," Scorpia said. "Any plans? I didn't exactly bring a flashlight or anything."

Adora raised her sword and unleashed a beam of light into the hole. "Come on and stick close to me."

Scorpia grabbed Adora's hand as they descended into the earth. Sparkling gemstones lined the tunnel they found themselves in. Judging by the wooden frames propping up the walls, this had been a mine some time ago. 

"So, uh, Adora, I've been meaning to ask… are you and Catra… you know…"

"Hm?" Adora turned around and illuminated the space between them. "You know about me and Catra."

"Well, I know Shadow Weaver raised you two, and I know you were her best friend and everything, but…" Scorpia struggled to find the right words. "Are you two betrothed?"

"Are we being 'trothed'? What is 'trothing'?"

"Betrothed! You know, engaged?"

"Engaged in what?"

"To be married."

"Oh, you mean like Bow's dads?" Adora shook her head. "I don't think either of us wants to have kids."

"... Adora, what do you think marriage is?"

Adora looked vaguely offended. "What kind of a question is that? It's when two people love each other very much and decide to have children, of course!"

Scorpia shook her head in amusement. "You don't have to want babies to get married, Adora."

"You don't?" Adora raised her eyebrows. "Well, that's good to know but I don't know if I'd marry Catra either way."

She studied Scorpia closely. "Why are you bringing this up?"

"Oh, you know, I was just curious because we're still getting to know each other and–"

"Do you love Catra?"

The words hit Scorpia like a brick. "I… I don't know? I thought we were close, but then she went all crazy to open that portal and join Horde Prime. She threatened to get rid of me if I tried to stop her, you know. But after you two came back from that cruiser it felt like she changed... I thought that maybe there was still something between us, until she ran away…"

"It's hard to change. I'm sure she'll get used to it as time goes on."

Scorpia tightened her grip on Adora's hand. "What if she runs away again?"

"It's hard for me to say it, but sometimes... " Adora took in a deep breath. "We all make their own choices. They'll be different because we come from different paths in life, but ultimately, we make them all the same. So… if someone decides to leave, then it's their choice to make. And we have to accept it."

She stroked Scorpia's carapace softly. "I want Catra to become a better person. I want her to be happy. But if she needs space, then I'll give her space."

"Alright," Scorpia nodded. "I just… I just don't want to lose a friend, you know? Other than Entrapta and maybe you, she's the only friend I have. And we're like a billion miles away from home, and the Horde is probably looking for us across the universe."

"Scorpia, you don't lose your friends just because they're not with you. I mean, look at me!"

"I… er… didn't mean to imply that you abandoned Catra," Scorpia added with indecent haste. 

Adora shook her head. "I didn't mean that. I'm as far from home as you are, but I didn't lose my friends in the Rebellion, and they didn't lose me. We're still friends and we've got each other's backs no matter how far apart we are."

"That's true," Scorpia said. "I guess just feel really alone right now."

"Well, you can bunk with me any time you feel lonely," Adora grinned. "Just watch your claws, they get grabby when you're asleep."

"Eep!" Scorpia blushed and looked away in embarrassment as Adora led her down the tunnel.


	9. Darkest Night

They followed the tunnel until they came to a vast natural cavern filled with running water and glowing fungi. They could feel the heat from natural springs, and smell the faint scent of sulphur in the air. Moonlight streamed in from openings high up in the ceiling, which helped illuminate spaces where the fungi did not grow.

Catra was curled up on a smooth rock on the edge of a hotspring. Adora and Scorpia walked up to her, but hesitated to wake her up.

"She looks so peaceful." Scorpia sighed.

"Do you think we should let her sleep it off?"

"It's a bit late for that, considering how loudly you two walk," Catra groaned. "I should have known you two would be the ones to find me."

Adora crossed her arms. "You sound like you don't want us around."

"No, stay. I… I have something to say." She sat up and drew her knees to her chest. "Look, I'm sorry I ran away like that. You two have been good friends, and you deserved better. And… and I don't know that I can give it to you."

Catra raised her hand when she saw Scorpia opening her mouth. "I get it. I don't have to do anything, you forgive me and all. That's fine, but I still don't feel comfortable here. I don't know if I can be what either of you are looking for."

Scorpia looked down at the ground . "So you want us to leave you here?"

"No. I'll come back with you. I just can't guarantee that I'll stay with you. Maybe I'll remain here when it comes time for everyone to leave, or set off on my own. I haven't decided yet."

Adora offered her hand to Catra. "Whatever you choose, I'll understand. But for now, let's get back to the cottage."

Catra took her hand silently and the trio walked out of the caves and into the forest. Scorpia glanced up at the bright moon, and saw a dark silhouette flick past it.

"Oh hey, maybe that was one of the twins," she said. "Adora, you should radio Entrapta so she can tell them to call off the search."

Adora fumbled with her radio while Catra narrowed her eyes. "Scopia, that wasn't a pegasus."

"Then what could it–"

Catra grabbed onto both of them and pushed them into a nearby ditch as a barrage of laser fire and missiles raked through the trees. Intense heat and shockwaves rolled over them, accompanied by the roar of engines as a ship landed in the newly made clearing. As the smoke cleared, they could see figures pouring out and surrounding them.

"Alright you miserable miscreants, hand me the sword and surrender!" A man with a skull for a face strolled forward and planted a staff in front of himself.

"Why would we do that?" Adora snarled, as she drew the Sword of Protection.

A familiar voice answered. "Because, my dear Adora, you are outmatched. It's time for you to stop this foolish nonsense and come home." 

Catra hissed as she recognized the speaker. "Shadow Weaver, you twisted witch. Did you switch sides again?"

Shadow Weaver's eyes flashed dangerously. "You will hold your tongue or I will rip it out."

"Not on my watch, lady!" Scorpia raised her claws for a fight, and gasped when she saw who was at Shadow Weaver's side. "Lonnie? Guard guy?"

"What, surprised that I'm hear after you left me behind in another galaxy?" Lonnie snarled.

"Enough of this!" Adora raised the Sword of Protection. "For the honor of–“

"If I have to hear that accursed name one more time, I will hurl you and your miserable sword off of the nearest cliff!" Skeletor roared.

A bolt of force hit Adora in the stomach and knocked the wind out of her before she could complete the phrase. Catra and Scorpia caught Adora before she could hit the ground and crouched over her protectively as the Horde soldiers began aiming laser rifles at them.

There was an eerie whistling in the air as a hail of black feathers as thick as rain fell from the heavens as thick as rain. The Horde troops ducked beneath the trees for cover as Rook and Raven landed in front of Skeletor. 

"Alright! I don't know who you are, but you have ten seconds to get off this planet, and you've wasted five of them listening to us talk," Raven snarled.

"Or perhaps instead of getting out, you two should get in!" Skeletor hurtled a red and white ball at the two of them, which sprang open and sucked both pegasi in before they could respond. He picked it up and tucked it away securely in a belt pouch. "Now where were we?"

"I believe the plan was to kill Adora's friends but keep Catra alive." Shadow Weaver pointed at Scorpia. "Let's start with her."

A pair of shadowy hands sprang out of Scorpia's shadow and grabbed onto her legs. She closed her eyes and braced herself as a fiery ray shot out from Skeletor's staff. A flash of heat singed her skin and hair, but she survived the blast unarmed. Scorpia opened her eyes to see Adora standing in front of her with the Sword of Protection deflecting the spell. The ray swept through the clearing and sent both Shadow Weaver and Skeletor diving for cover as it cut its way through rocks and trees. 

Lonnie gave a fierce battle cry and charged at them with the other Horde soldiers in tow. Laser beams filled the air as they closed the distance. Scorpia freed herself from the remains of Shadow Weaver's spell and held a claw in front of her face as she rammed her shoulder into Lonnie. The impact knocked Lonnie into the soldiers behind her and sent them flying back.

Scorpia lowered her claw to look around the battlefield and immediately saw Tolliver coming down at her from above, with both of his hands were wreathed in electricity. She blocked the blow with her claws and let the electricity die out on her carapace. He landed on his feet just as Scorpia threw a right hook at him; Tolliver reflexively raised his gauntlets and they formed a shield which absorbed her blow.

Undeterred, Scorpia grabbed him in a bear hug and forced herself to stand the electric discharge as the shock worked its way past her carapace and into her flesh. Her stinger pierced through Tolliver's clothing and sent him into paralysis in her arms. 

She dropped him in front of Lonnie and shouted. "Come on, Lonnie! I don't want to hurt you!"

Lonnie spat blood from her mouth and raised her rifle. "You already did!"   
  


'Oh great,' Scorpia said to herself. 'This must be what Adora feels like.'

Scorpia raised her claws and slowly walked towards Lonnie. "Lonnie, please listen. I care about you too; you're part of my team and I never wanted to leave you behind. I had to make a difficult choice, and maybe I didn't handle it the best way I could have, but I'm trying!"

Lonnie's trembling hands pressed the rifle's barrel against Scorpia's chest. "S-stop, Scorpia…"

"Put it down, Lonnie." Scorpia laid a claw on her shoulder. "You can end–"

A brilliant flash of light knocked Scorpia forward into Lonnie, who staggered under Scorpia's weight as the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. As she set Scorpia down on the ground, she could see Shadow Weaver standing up with her hand stretched out.

A furious howl pierced the air as Catra dived out of the treetops straight at Shadow Weaver. The two collided and fell to the ground in a heap with Carry on top. Blood blossomed across Shadow Weaver's robes as Catra's claws tore into her flesh. She responded by summoning a shadowy tentacle that hit Carta in her gut. Her armor hardened in response and prevented the tentacle from impaling her, but the attack still knocked the wind out of her lungs and sent her flying up into the air. Shadow Weaver wove a containment spell around Catra before she could land and channeled her own pain into it. 

Adora heard Catra's screams and charged over to Shadow Weaver. "Don't you ever touch her again!"

She swung her sword at Shadow Weaver's neck, only for it to bounce off of the air. Adora slashed furiously around her and found that she had become trapped in an invisible cage. 

"How do you like my Force Cage?" Skeletor cackled. "There's no escape from this, She-Fool!"

Shadow Weaver clenched her fist and sent Catra directly into the barrier. There was a sickening crunch as Catra's nose broke and orbital socket shattered from the force of impact, but the armor around her chest turned into a solid plate that protected her ribcage from damage.

"Catra, no!" Adora pounded her fist against the forcefield as she saw Catra's bruised and bloodied body. "Please be alright!"

"Oh, she'll live," Shadow Weaver snarled. "As long as you put down that sword and obey." 

Adora looked at Scorpia's unconscious body, then at Catra who shook her head begging her not to give up, and then at Shadow Weaver who sent another burst of pain coursing through Catra's nerves.

"Alright, you win!" Adora dismissed the form of She-Ra and planted the sword on the ground.

"Victory! Oh sweet victory!" Skeletor dismissed the Force Cage and picked up the Sword of Protection. "At long last, I shall be back in Horde Prime's good graces and finally complete my conquest of Eternia!" 

"What," Catra spat. "Are there teenagers kicking your ass there too?"

"Silence, imbecile!" he roared. "I am the great Skeletor, he who has the darkest magic and blackest heart in the Horde!"

Catra looked over at Adora and winked with her good eye. "And the tightest ass!"

"Yes, and the tightest – NO! Enough of your insolence, you flea bitten fur brain!" Skeletor grabbed Catra by the collar and lifted her up to face him as Shadow Weaver buried her face in her hands at their antics. "I ought to disintegrate you right now."

Adora had no idea what Catra planned to gain by antagonizing their captor, but decided to play along. "Please have mercy, great Skeletor! I apologize for Catra, your ass is clearly flabby."

"That's much better – WAIT, NO IT ISN'T! MY ASS IS MAGNIFICENT!"

"Like I said, tight." Catra reached over and gave it a resounding slap.

Sporadic laughter filtered through the Horde troops around them. Skeletor threw Catra onto the ground and turned to his soldiers. "Nitwits! Halfwits! Dimwits! You dare mock me?"

"I don't know," Catra smirked. "If you wanted to avoid being ridiculed, maybe you should be less ridiculous."

"I have had enough of your impudence!" Skeletor pointed the Havoc Staff at her. "Prepare to die a quick and painful death!"

Catra responded by silently holding up the red and white sphere. The two halves immediately popped open, releasing Rook and Raven. The two pegasi spread their wings to shield the two women behind them and glared daggers at Skeletor.

"So that's how it's going to be, is it?" Rook growled. "We're going to tear your guts out and eat them!"

"That's the spirit," Raven laughed. "We call dibs on his liver!"

"Oh get in line, you puerile pestilent ponies! You think you're the only ones to curse my name? I am Skeletor, the bane of Eternia and scourge of a billion souls across time and space! You would need a legion to defeat me!"

Coarse and raucous laughter reverberated in the air, each one just slightly out of sync with the other, as their eyes turned jet black.  **"How fortunate, then, that we are legion."**

They opened their mouths in unison and gave a shrill cry that reverberated through the night air. Everyone around them pressed their hands to the side of their heads in a vain attempt to keep the sound out. It grew steadily more intense until Rook and Raven's dispersed into hundreds of black birds that circled up into the air. 

"What in the world?" Shadow Weaver gasped. "This is dark magic!"

"Oh please, this is a parlor trick," Skeletor scoffed. "I've seen better stage magic at children's parties!"

The birds above turned their heads towards him sharply and dove down on the battlefield, where they tore into the Horde soldiers, who fired their lasers wildly into the air. Shadow Weaver and Skeletor summoned shields and flung spells at the birds, but they dodged the magic and steadily pecked their way through the shields as they sought Skeletor's blood.

Adora held on tightly to Catra as the clearing turned into chaos around them. "Catra, are you alright? Do you know who I am? "

"Adora, you idiot," Catra groaned. "Get the sword!"

Adora gave Catra a quick hug and rose to her feet. Off in the distance, she could see Skeletor and Shadow Weaver pressed against the body of the ship as they fought off the flock. Adora took in a deep breath and dived under the ship until she was behind Skeletor, then kicked him hard behind the knee to bring him down. She wrapped an arm around his throat in a choke-hold while her other hand tore the sword out of his grasp. 

She stood up and swung it at his head, only for Skeletor to parry with his staff. Undeterred, Adora stepped up to him and pressed the attack. Skeletor was strength and experience gave him a decisive edge as he blocked every swing and thrust Adora made while sneaking in quick and powerful blows between her strikes. Adora staggered backwards with her sword raised in a defensive stance as she wracked her brain for a strategy.

As a cadet, she had always been the one with a decisive advantage in combat. Shadow Weaver had called her gifted, while Lonnie praised her hard work and dedication. Catra, on the other hand, had always preferred the easy way out and favored cheap tricks to get an advantage on her. She justified it by saying that was how fights worked in the real world.

Adora ducked beneath Skeletor's staff and plunged her sword into the ground. She leveraged the blade against the ground like a shovel and scooped up a good helping of forest soil, which she threw into Skeletor's face. He raised his arms to block the spray of dirt, which allowed her to strike directly at the staff and cut right through the middle.

"It's over, Skeletor!" She shouted as she leveled the sword at his throat.

"Not so fast, you blonde-haired bimbo!" Skeletor threw both halves of the staff at Adora to distract her as he ran into the ship. 

The door slammed shut behind him as the ship rose into the air and brought its cannons to bear on the battlefield. Laser beams glittered in the darkness until the smell of ozone permeated the air, and the barrels glowed white-hot. Adora held her sword up defensively and threw herself into the ditch again as the lasers swept through the clearing. Catra rolled into it shortly after her, followed by Rook and Raven, who nearly crashed on top of them. The two looked gaunt and emaciated compared now, and bore new marks on their sides; Raven had a drop of blood, while Rook had a white tower.

"Well, that didn't work," Rook groaned. "Any ideas?"

Raven shrugged. "Murder?"

Rook's eyes turned jet black again.  **"Murder."**

The two turned into a flock of birds again and combined in the air above in the form of a giant crow. It shrieked loudly enough to drown out the sound of the ship's engines before swooping down on it with its claws outstretched. Laser fire singed its feathers as it grabbed onto the ship and pecked out the cockpit. The crow pulled Skeletor out of the ship and threw him onto the ground before dropping the ship on him, burying him under dozens of tons of scrap metal.

The crow cawed triumphantly in the air before a grasping hand made of dark magic shot up out of the ground and wrapped itself around its body. Shadow Weaver stood with the ram's head of the Havoc Staff in her hands, and an unnaturally long shadow through which the hand reached through. The crow pecked at the hand furiously and cried out in rage to no avail as it was dragged into the shadows.

"Well then, Adora. It seems as if you simply refuse to listen to reason." Shadow Weaver pointed the ram's head at Catra. "If you truly do not value her life, then perhaps I should end it."

"I'll kill you first!" 

Adora channeled her anger into the runestone as she swung it at Shadow Weaver; it glowed as bright as the sun and banished the shadows protecting Shadow Weaver. There was nothing to stop her as she sank the blade into Shadow Weaver's leg and severed her hamstring. Shadow Weaver collapsed onto the ground and reflexively brought her arms up to block her face as Adora raised her sword up high.

A jet engine soared through the air and knocked Adora away from Shadow Weaver before she could finish her off. Skeletor rose up out of the wreckage and strolled forward with a jagged piece of metal in his hand. 

"It'll take more than that to defeat Skeletor!" He shouted. "I can take anything you've got, you half-wit heroine!"

Adora gritted her teeth as she forced herself to ignore her body's pain as she forced the engine off of her and readied herself to take on Skeletor again. As she steadied her blade, she saw a shadowy claw stretched out of Skeletor's shadow and slammed him into the ground.

"What? No! Shadow Weaver you witch! What have you done?" Skeletor shook his fist at them as he disappeared into the shadows. "You have not seen the last of Skeletor, you accursed pillocks! You will rue the day you crossed me, and you will rue it hard!" 

Shadow Weaver had barely any time to react before another claw shot out of her shadow to grab her and dragged her away. "Adora, help me!"

Adora saw Shadow Weaver reaching out to her, and responded by bending down to pick up a rock. She threw it at Shadow Weaver's face and shattered her mask. Adora glared into the repulsive face of the woman who raised her. "You made your bed, now lie in it!"

"Adora, no! Please! Please!" Shadow Weaver's cries were abruptly silenced as she was pulled into her own shadow.

"Adora… is it over?" Adora looked over her shoulder to see Lonnie cradling Scorpia. 

Behind her, Lonnie's shadow contorted into the form of a claw. Adora raised her sword and summoned the light again, but the shadows had grown too powerful and grabbed Lonnie around her waist. Lonnie screamed as she was dragged backwards.

"I've got you!" Tolliver wrapped his hands around Lonnie's wrist and planted his feet into the ground. His heels dug deep furrows into the soil as he struggled against the shadows, but the ground eventually gave way beneath his feet.

He felt a pair of claws wrap around his torso as he started slipping, and looked up to see Scorpia pulling them back with all the strength she could muster. But the shadows deepened in response, and they began sinking into the darkness, along with the other Hode soldiers around them.

The moonlight illuminating the clearing suddenly became a magnitude brighter as a booming voice rang out over the panicked clamor. 

"EVERYONE BE STILL!"


	10. Brightest Dawn

Scorching heat washed over everyone in the clearing as if they were in the middle of the Crimson Waste. Lonnie and Tolliver found themselves pulled into Scorpia's protective embrace as the shadows burned away under the blinding light. All that remained of them were two dark and vaguely equine shapes.

"WHAT WERE YOU TWO THINKING?"

"His name was Skeletor! He had a skull for a face!"

"She cast dark magic on us first!"

"He had a  _ skull  _ for a  _ face! _ "

"I DON'T CARE IF THEY HAD TWO HEADS EACH AND WERE BREATHING NECROMANTIC ENERGIES, YOU CAN'T JUST GO AROUND CASTING PEOPLE INTO THE SHADOW REALM!" The ground shook grew more intense with each word, and the heat until it felt like the clearing might burst into flames at any second. "THIS IS PRECISELY WHY I ASKED DISCORD TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE TWO OF YOU!"

"You asked that cosmic cretin to bother us?"

"Why for the love of Equestria would you–"

"BECAUSE YOU'RE THE ONLY ONES WHO KEEP ME UP AT NIGHT! THE FEDERATION HAS ENOUGH ON ITS PLATE AS IS WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT YOU TWO COMMITTING A MASSACRE, AND YOU'LL BE LUCKY IF YOU AREN'T BANISHED TO THE MOON AFTER THIS! NOW GO TO YOUR ROOM AND THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE WHILE I SORT THIS OUT!"

The two dark shapes vanished as the light dropped to the level of a normal sunny day. As their vision returned, everyone could see that there was a purple alicorn hovering over the battlefield with glowing ethereal tail and mane. Many of the Horde soldiers gasped and tried to run away into the woods, only to be greeted by a vast collection of knives floating just in front of the tree line.

"Hands up, darlings. I'd rather hate to spend the rest of the night cleaning blood off of my collection." Stiletto stepped out of the foliage followed by Swift Wind, Entrapta, Hordak, and Mara.

"Will someone please tell me it's over now," Lonnie groaned.

"Yeah, it's over." Scorpia ruffled her hair. "You're safe."

Tolliver hugged them both. "We're alright! We're going to live! I'm not going to be murdered to death by crows!"

Lonnie hugged him back wearily and looked up at Scorpia. "Why did you help us?"

"Hey, I meant every word I said. You're part of my team, and I care about you." Scorpia held them tight against her chest. "Friends?"

Lonnie nodded. "Friends."

The alicorn flew over them and landed in front of Adora, who was cradling Catra. "Wow, it looks like you're friend's been through the mill."

Catra looked at her with her good eye. "Sure feels like it. Can't see anything out of my left eye. Can't breathe out my nose either. Head's spinning. Spine must be alright, though, because I'm in a lot of pain."

"Just hold on, I've got you." She touched her glowing horn to Catra, and the blood and bruising both disappeared. "There you go! Your orbital socket's been mended, your nose is back in place, and your concussion is gone. Oh, and you've been grinding your teeth in your sleep. I've regenerated your enamel, but you should look into getting a mouthguard or stress management therapy."

Catra squinted at the alicorn as Adora cradled her protectively. "You sound like Tabula Rasa."

The alicorn laughed. "It'd be more accurate to say that she sounds like me."

"And who are you?"

"I'm Twilight Sparkle, head librarian of the Ponyville library." Twilight extended a hoof to Adora; after a moment's hesitation, Adora shook it. "Your friends came to town looking for help and I came here as fast as I could."

"This is the second time a pegasus has gone berserk and had to have some sense smacked into them," Catra muttered. "I'm starting to develop an aversion."

"Oh don't be like that," Twilight chided. "Rook and Raven are statistical flukes – one in a billion at best."

"We seem to run into a lot of anomalies," Swift Wind said as he made his way over.

"I know, isn't it fascinating?" Entrapta ran up to Twilight and began examining her. "Oooh, you're not a changeling!"

"Oh, you must have met Tabula Rasa too! I heard she got into some trouble in a galaxy far, far away."

Swift Wind nodded. "She helped us fight against the Horde." 

"And brought them to our home as a result." Twilight looked at the devastation around her and shook her head. "Well, I suppose I have no one left to blame but myself for how she turned out."

"I'm sorry that this happened." Adora said. "It was never our plan to come here. Discord brought us to your world."

"Of course he did," Twilight sighed. "I am going to have to have a long talk with him about assuming responsibility for his guests when this is all over."

"So what happens now?" Mara looked around nervously. 

"You all need to recuperate!." Twilight opened up a swirling magical portal in front of them. "Come on, let's go to the library while Stiletto takes care of the prisoners."

Scorpia hovered over Lonnie and Tolliver defensively. "Hey, uh, can my friends come too? I'll take responsibility."

Tolliver gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry about me. I'd prefer to make sure the others behave themselves."

"Thanks, Tolliver." Lonnie gave him a hug. "I'll talk with whoever's in charge here and make sure you're treated alright."

Twilight nodded. "Well, if that's settled then just follow me."

* * *

The portal led them to the upper levels of the library, in a plush reading room that overlooked all of Ponyville and the surrounding countryside. Twilight arranged the chairs and couches in a circle and conjured a coffee table full of beverages and snacks for her guests as they filed in one by one.

"So, I don't want you to feel any pressure here," she said. "You can rest here, freshen up in the bathroom next door, and get a refill of anything you want. I'll just be in the corner filling out the paperwork for this incident."

Catra chose to collapse onto a couch out of exhaustion now that the adrenaline had coursed through her system. "My life just keeps getting weirder."

Adora sat next to her and brought Catra's head into her lap. "Hey, you wanted to see the world."

"The next time I talk about doing anything adventurous, do me a favor and just kill me."

Scorpia hit her playfully with her stinger. "Couldn't we just knock you out?"

"I forgot how y'all had the worst sense of humor," Lonnie groaned. "Come on, really?"

"Sorry." Scorpia grinned sheepishly and held out a tray of food. "Snack?"

"Oooh! They have MINIATURE FOOD!" Entrapta grabbed several small cupcakes and tarts with both hands and several tendrils of hair. "And it's delicious!"

Adora picked up a slice of apple pie and savored its fruity flavor. She passed a few more treats around the group so that everyone could enjoy a long delayed dinner. They would occasionally cast a sideways glance at Twilight, but she was content to remain at her desk. Swift Wind eventually summoned the courage to walk over to her after eating an entire apple pie.

"Uh, hello there," he said. "I know that maybe it would be a good idea to rest and all – we're really grateful for your hospitality – but I've got a few questions."

"Certainly!" She looked away from her forms, who continued to fill themselves out on their own. "What would you like to know?"

He looked out of the window. "Why is it daytime now?"

"Whoops! Forgot about that." Twilight raised her horn and after a few minutes of concentration the sun rotated abruptly away, plunging them into darkness again.

Mara's jaw dropped. "Did you just move a star?"

"No way!" Entrapta shouted. "That was an artificial satellite, right? Some sort of orbital laser?"

Twilight shook her head. "Nope! Your friend had it right the first time. That was an M9V-class red dwarf."

Entrapta began a furious set of calculations. "Hold on. But that means the star must weigh roughly..."

"150 septillion tonnes, give or take a few kilograms."

"And we're in its habitable zone, so we must be about…"

"40 million kilometers away, on average."

Entrapta thew up her hands. "I don't think I can calculate how much physical force that would take. It's literally astronomical"

Mara staggered into a chair at the magnitude of power Twilight had displayed as an afterthought. "Raven wasn't exaggerating when she said you could drop a moon on Horde Prime, was she?"   
  


"That seems like overkill, but I suppose I could."

"... and you're a  _ librarian? _ " 

Twilight chuckled. "Well, I used to rule Equestria once upon a time, but that's ancient history. Equestria runs well enough by itself now, and I get to run my library." She picked up a book with the head of a unicorn emblazoned on the cover and held it close to her chest. "There's nothing like a good book, you know?"

"But what about the safety of your planet?" Hordak asked. 

"That is for the Civil Defense Committee to decide."

"And they are composed of creatures like yourself?"

"They are composed of elected officials; the current roster does not consist of any alicorns." She glared at Hordak harshly. "Don't think that I don't know what you're up to. You're afraid of Horde Prime and you want someone to take him out for you."

"I am merely suggesting that you act in your own self-interest. If that happens to benefit the both of us, so much the better."

"The Federation is not made better by sending its citizens to their deaths," Twilight snapped. "Every member of the Civil Defense Force signed on willingly to help the Federation defend itself or provide emergency and medical aid during disasters. Foreign wars are an entirely different matter."

"Your special operatives had no issues fighting alongside us on Etheria."

"And they made that decision on their own accord, in keeping with the Federation's policy of providing aid and assistance. But it was freely given; any one of them would have been well within their rights to refuse participation, as is the case with the Civil Defense Force." She flicked her tail in frustration. "Do you understand what it means to support people choosing their own path in life, according to their own conscience?"

Hordak glanced over at Entrapta, and then silently lowered his head. "I… understand why you may not want war, but war may come for you nonetheless. The Horde is likely to retaliate after you've bloodied its nose twice."

"Yes, that is true." Twilight sighed. "We do not have the ability to manufacture warships at all, let alone on such a large scale."

"Though if Tabula Rasa was any indication, your cloning capabilities–"

Twilight smashed her hooves onto the floor. "The clones are people too! And Tabula Rasa is a unique individual with a set of experiences that can't be replicated!"

"I…" Hordak struggled to finish the sentence. "Well, I suppose so."

Entrapta pulled him back by the waist. "Come on! Why are you talking about all that when we have so much to learn!"

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"

"What are you, exactly? I get the impression that you don't like the g-word, but that seems as appropriate as anything else."

"In no sense is it appropriate: alicorns have the same abilities as the other ponies, and differ only in scale. For example, in the past, teams of unicorns would raise the sun together while a single alicorn can do it themselves. And anyone else could, in theory, become an alicorn too. I myself ascended several centuries ago."

"So you're just a particularly advanced member of your species, then?" Entrapta took notes furiously. "If that's the case, Rook and Raven are…"

"Two recklessly fillies who couldn't wait to earn their marks and stole feathers from one of Discord's trickster friends in an attempt to make destiny happen. Even though their powers are not greater in magnitude, they differ substantially in kind."

Adora looked over at her. "They won't really get banished to the moon, right? I don't think they deserve that. I don't know much about Skeletor, but Shadow Weaver deserved everything she got."

Twilight levitated a sheaf of papers and a quill pen over to her. "If you would like to write a testimonial, I can see that it goes to the right place." 

Lonnie raised her hand. "Um, excuse me, but as long as we're asking for clemency, I need to make sure the Horde prisoners will be cared for."

"I can assure you that they will be treated well as long as they are in town.. I will personally host them if that is what it takes, and advocate on their behalf."

"Thank you." Lonnie sighed and leaned against Scorpia. "I think I'm about done with the Horde."

"I'm glad to hear it," Adora smiled. "Are you going to join the Rebellion, then?"

Scorpia gave her a tight hug. "We'd be happy to have you."

She looked down at the floor. "But fighting against the master of the universe, though?"

Catra looked up from Adora's lap. "Think of it as evening the odds. That's more your style, right?"

"If it's in my power to do so, I will try to make things fair. But this is beyond me."

"I know what you mean, Lonnie." Mara nodded sympathetically. "The Horde is the single most powerful empire in the universe. Perhaps it is unstoppable at this point, but resistance does exist, for what it's worth."

"Here and there." Hordak said. "Small groups striking minor blows, who always get crushed when they become too bold. They are unable to truly understand the Horde, and can never hope to achieve victory as a result."

Mara raised an eyebrow. "Don't you understand the Horde?"

"II understood less of the entire machine than I did the military." He looked down at the exoskeleton that housed his frail cloned body. "I suppose I could help find a weakness."

"What weaknesses would a galactic empire have?"

"Centralization, for one," Hordak shrugged. "Pretty much every high level position in the Horde is filled by a clone because Horde Prime has to have tight control of the ship."

Swift Wind's eyes lit up. "Oh, you want to take him out? That sounds like it could be fun!"

"Ideally yes, though I think we may have to set our sights somewhat lower for now."

"And keep talk of assassination out of my library," Twilight said. "This is a place of learning, not a war room."

Catra applauded. "I agree with the book horse. Can we place just try to relax a little before the next crisis?"


	11. Outward Bound

The rest of the night passed uneventfully in the castle as everyone else settled into a comfortable sleeping spot. Catra found herself staring up at the ceiling while Adora and Scorpia sprawling out next to her. As comfortable as it was, and as easy as it would be to stay with them, it didn't feel right.

A look over at the clock on the wall showed that she had been attempting to fall asleep for an hour without much success. Catra sighed and wriggled her way out from between her friends to wander through the castle. If she could not sleep, then she could at least find some information in this library.

She crept through the silent halls until she came to a room full of computers. She felt the monitor of the closest one and was rewarded with a power button. The computer booted up in short order, and brought her to a search page in an unfamiliar language. Catra looked down at the illuminated keyboard to see that it was covered in strange symbols.

"It looks like you could use a librarian."

Catra ducked beneath a desk as Le Blanc walked in. "Oh come now. I was trying to be helpful."

"You look like a ghost," Catra grumbled. 

"Now there's an occupation I hadn't considered," Le Blanc chuckled. "Perhaps I'll haunt this place after I pass on." 

Catra crawled out with as much dignity as she could manage and stat down in front of the computer. "So how do I use this thing?"

"You probably just need a translation spell that lets you read. It doesn't surprise me that Discord did a botch job on acclimating you." Le Blanc's horn glowed and Catra saw the letters on the keyboard shit around until she could read them. "There you go!"

She reached out for the keyboard and typed out two words. "Thunderan."

The database immediately showed her an image of a proud feline humanoid dressed in regal armor who wielded a sword with a magnificent red gem set in the hilt.

_ Thundaran _

_ A humanoid feline race who originated on the planet of Thundara. After the planet's destruction from unknown causes, they traveled among the stars and eventually colonized the post-apocalyptic remnants of the planet Earth. In this Third Age of Earth, they came into conflict with an ageless devil-priest from Earth's First Age known as Mumm-Ra. After many struggles, they banished Mumm-Ra beyond the furthest stars and established the kingdom of New Thundara. _

Catra looked down at her claws. Were these her people? If so, how did they end up on Etheria?

"Hey, Le Blanc," she said. "Does this place have star charts? I want coordinates."

* * *

Breakfast the next morning was a quiet affair. Catra suspected it was as much because the others wanted to avoid setting her off again as exhaustion from the battle. Everyone was just too  _ nice  _ to each other, even people who couldn't stand each other. As a matter of fact, Adora and Hordak were having a disturbingly civil conversation about the merits of vegetable pot pies compared to ration bars.

Adora noticed Catra push away a half-eaten omelette. "What's the matter? Are you ok after last night?"

"I'm fine," she said. "I just have a lot on my mind. I mean, where do we go from here?"

"Us as a group, or you and me?"

Catra looked down at the table. "Both, I suppose."

Adora smiled warmly at her. "We'll stay together in either case."

"Of course we will," Catra said. "And where are we headed?"

"I've been thinking about that." Adora pulled out the Sword of Protection. "I want to go to Castle Grayskull on Eternia."

"To uncover the secret of the sword?"

"And maybe learn about my family as well," Adora said. "I may have a brother from what Lonnie has told me."

"Skeletor would not shut up about a 'He-Man' and how he would use his twin sister as bait," Lonnie groaned. 

Catra bit her lip. "So when do you want to set out?"

"I was thinking that we should ask Twilight to open a portal after breakfast. We need to leave before the Horde escalates."

Twilight lowered the newspaper that she was reading. "Oh, don't rush yourselves. Equestria can take care of itself."

"I don't doubt it, and I didn't mean to imply otherwise, but I think we've intruded upon your hospitality long enough."

Scorpia held up a plate full of pancakes. "If we're leaving, can I get a to-go box?"

"Sure thing! And I've prepared a supplies for you all." A heavy backpack promptly dropped into everyone's lap. "That should cover all your basic needs for the next few days."

A lump formed in Catra's throat; it was now or never. She held Adora's hands and looked her in the eyes. "Adora… I'm not going with you."

Adora's jaw dropped. "Catra! Why?"

"Hold on, Wildcat," Scorpia said. "You aren't pushing us away are you? Because I know you, and you keep doing that."

"I…. I know what you're thinking, but I promise I'm not doing that! I just think that maybe it would be good for me if I–"

"Went off by yourself separated from us by the vastness of time and space, without any way of coming back?" Scorpia snapped. "If we seperate now, it's likely to be permanent."

Adora put a hand on Scorpia's shoulder. "Scorpia, stop. Catra has as much right to choose her own path in life as we do."

"Thank you, Adora," Catra said softly. " I don't know how this is going to end, but I need to know where I came from. And I think I've found it."

"Then you should go." Adora looked at Scorpia meaningfully.

Scorpia sighed. "I can't argue with that."

Twilight cocked her head. "And where's that, Catra?"

"New Thundara, on Third Earth."

"Alright. I can do that. Give me a few minutes to set up a portal." Twilight stood up from the table and closed her eyes in concentration. 

Catra looked around at the rest of the group and took in a deep breath. "Alright so… Look, I'm not good with words or emotional stuff, but I just want to say before I go that I'm… sorry. For everything."

Hordak opened his mouth, but Entrapta quickly wrapped a tendril of hair around his mouth. "Thanks, Catra! I'm glad to know my data wasn't completely off about you!"

"I'm not going to lie," Swift Wind said. "Trying to wipe out all of existence was pretty terrible, but I got to meet some good friends, so I guess it wasn't a total disaster."

Twilight's horn flashed purple as two swirling violent portals formed next to her. They brought with them the scent of alien worlds and the promise of new adventures.

"You may enter when you are ready," Twilight said. "Eternia to my left, and Third Earth to my right."

"So this is it, then." Adora pulled Catra in close and hugged her. "Take care of yourself."

Catra rubbed her forehead against Adora's cheek. "You too, Adora."

She turned to Scorpia and embraced her as well, pressing her head hard under Scorpia's chin. "That goes for you as well."

"Goodbye, Wildcat," Scorpia said with tears in her eyes.

"It's not a goodbye. We'll meet again, I promise." She took Adora's hand and pressed it on Scorpia's claw. "And until then, I want you two to look after each other, ok?"

Scorpia nodded. "Sure thing, Wildcat."

Adora gripped Scorpia's claw and nodded wordlessly. Catra waved goodbye to them, then to the group, and stepped through the portal. It closed behind her and left no sign that it was ever there. 

Adora let loose a breath she didn't realize she was holding and looked at the others. "Alright. Onwards to Eternia. To Castle Grayskull"   
  


Mara walked up to Twilight and bowed deeply. "Thank you for all the help you've given us, Twilight. It's good to see that there are still places in this universe unsullied by the Horde, and capable of fighting against it. I hope that your planet prospers forever."

"And I wish that you all fare well on your journey," Twilight said. "I regret that we cannot offer you more support, but know that you are welcome back on Equestria at any time."

Adora nodded. "Then may we see each other again in happier times."

* * *

Glimmer sat in a corner of the Horde transport as it left Bright Moon bound for the  _ Amphion.  _ What did Voxx have planned for her? She had kept her distance since the journey had started, but the Horde was known for its cruelty if nothing else, and Voxx was likely preoccupied with devising some devilish revenge.

The transport docked with the ship soon enough, and Voxx offered Glimmer her arm. Glimmer took it hesitantly, not wishing to offend her. They travelled through the ship, with Voxx detailing the features and accommodations, until they arrived at a large and sparsely decorated room. Double Trouble sat on a sofa with a power-inhibiting collar around her neck, and looked away from Glimmer as they entered.

"Hey cousin," Double Trouble sighed. "I guess I bit off more than I could chew, eh?"

Glimmer ran up to Double Trouble and gave them a tight hug. "It's ok. I'm just glad you're alright."

"How touching," Voxx said dryly. "Your cousin is guilty of espionage, as well as kidnapping a member of the Horde. These are rather serious charges."

"Are you blackmailing me?" Glimmer growled.

"I am merely informing you as to what has transpired," Voxx replied coolly. "That being said, if you could provide us with some assistance and demonstrate your value to the Horde, we may view the transgressions of your people in a more favorable light."

Glimmer clung tightly to Double Trouble as she contemplated the options. Nothing good could come from working with the Horde, but there was no telling what Voxx might do to Double Trouble if she refused.

"What do you want?" She sighed in defeat.

Voxx pulled out a data pad and showed her a picture of a pegasus wreathed in lightning tearing through Horde ships and escape pods. "Tell me, what do you know about this creature?"


End file.
